Tinystar's Beginning: Forest of Secrets
by Twilidramon
Summary: A dark cloud hangs over the forest, a storm about to break. Tinyclaw is determined to uncover the truth regarding Redtail's death... but when searching for answers begins to uncover dangerous secrets, Tinyclaw realizes that some things are best left hidden. With the thaw flooding the forest and prey scarce, tensions are high... and danger is everywhere. Rated T. **COMPLETE**
1. Allegiances

**Hello, and welcome to _T_ _inystar's Beginning: Forest of Secrets!_ For those who don't know, this story is a "What If" - what if Scourge and Rusty switched places in the beginning? What if other cats did, too?**

 **I'm glad to be back and doing this! I know there was a sizeable gap between this and the last installment, but only because I was working on finishing _B_ _lood of the Tiger_ and doing other things with higher priority, like my comic.**

 **If you're just tuning in to this story, don't worry - you won't be lost. These books follow the same base plot as the originals, but with their own special twist. Just a glance at the Allegiances down below will most likely bring you up to speed. On a side note, I really hate how the Allegiances in the Original Arc were based on the _end_ of the books instead of the beginning. Kind of spoils things. Saw no reason to really change it, though, since it doesn't spoil much in regards to this AU.**

 **Anyway, I hope you all enjoy! I'll be doing my best to get a chapter of this out at least every week. We'll see how it goes - going to be working on BoT's sequel, and possibly other works, too! Enjoy!**

* * *

 **ALLEGIANCES:**

* * *

 **THUNDERCLAN:**

Leader: Tigerstar – big dark brown tabby tom with unusually long front claws

Deputies:

Oakheart – a reddish brown tom (Bluefur's mate) (acting deputy)

Whitestorm – big white tom _(Swiftpaw)_ (acting deputy)

Medicine Cats:

Yellowfang – old dark gray she-cat with a broad, flattened face; formerly of ShadowClan

Brackenfur – golden brown tabby tom with an injured leg

Warriors:

Darkstripe – sleek black-and-gray tabby tom

Longtail – pale tabby tom with dark stripes _(Brightpaw)_

Runningwind – swift tabby tom

Willowpelt – very pale gray she-cat with unusual blue eyes

Mousefur – small dusky brown she-cat _(Thornpaw)_

Graystripe – long-haired gray tom with a dark stripe along his spine _(Cinderpaw)_

Tinyclaw – very small black tom with one white paw _(Cloudpaw)_

Dustpelt – dark brown tabby tom

Sandstorm – pale ginger she-cat with green eyes

Apprentices:

Brightpaw – white-and-ginger she-cat

Cinderpaw – fluffy gray she-cat

Cloudpaw – long-furred ginger-and-white she-cat

Swiftpaw – black-and-white tom

Thornpaw – golden-brown tabby tom

Queens:

Bluefur – blue-gray she-cat with a silver muzzle; Clan deputy (mother of Mistykit, Stonekit, and Mosskit)

Frostfur – white-pelted she-cat with beautiful blue eyes (mother of Cinderpaw, Brackenfur, Thornpaw, and Swiftpaw)

Brindleface – pretty tabby (mother of Ashkit and Fernkit)

Speckletail – pale tabby, eldest queen (mother of Brightpaw and Snowkit)

Elders:

Snowkit – deaf white tom with blue eyes

Halftail – big dark brown tabby tom with part of his tail missing

Smallear – gray tom with small ears, eldest ThunderClan tom

Patchpelt – small black-and-white tom

One-eye – pale gray she-cat, eldest cat in ThunderClan; virtually blind and deaf

Dappletail – once-pretty tortoiseshell she-cat with a lovely dappled coat

Brokentail – blind, long-haired dark brown tabby; formerly of ShadowClan

* * *

 **SHADOWCLAN:**

Leader: Nightstar – black tom

Deputy: Cinderfur – thin gray tom

Medicine Cat: Runningnose – small gray-and-white tom

Warriors:

Stumpytail – brown tabby tom _(Brownpaw)_

Wetfoot – gray tabby tom _(Oakpaw)_

Littlecloud - small tabby tom

Whitethroat – black-and-white tom

Apprentices:

Brownpaw – mottled brown-and-ginger tabby tom

Oakpaw – small, dark brown tom

Queens:

Darkflower – black she-cat

Tallpoppy – long-legged light brown tabby she-cat

Elders:

Brightflower – black-and-white she-cat

Dawncloud- small tabby

* * *

 **WINDCLAN:**

Leader: Tallstar – black and white tom with a very long tail

Deputy: Deadfoot – solid black tom with a twisted paw

Medicine Cat: Barkface – a short-tailed brown tom

Warriors:

Mudclaw – mottled dark brown tom _(Webpaw)_

Tornear – tabby tom _(Runningpaw)_

Onewhisker – young, lithe brown tabby tom _(Whitepaw)_

Apprentices:

Webpaw – dark gray tabby tom

Runningpaw – light gray-and-brown tabby she-cat

Whitepaw – small white she-cat

Queens:

Ashfoot – a gray queen

Morningflower – tortoiseshell queen

* * *

 **RIVERCLAN:**

Leader: Crookedstar – huge light brown tabby with a twisted jaw

Deputy: Leopardfur – unusually spotted golden tabby she-cat

Medicine Cat: Mudfur – long-haired light brown tom

Warriors:

Blackclaw – smoky black tom _(Heavypaw)_

Brambleclaw – big dark brown tabby tom _(Shadepaw)_

Loudbelly – a dark brown tom _(Silverpaw)_

Silverstream – pretty slender silver tabby she-cat

Apprentices:

Heavypaw – stocky, thickset tabby tom

Shadepaw – very dark gray she-cat

Silverpaw – solid silver-gray tom

Queens:

Tawnypelt – tortoiseshell she-cat

Elders:

Graypool – a thin, very dark gray she-cat with a scarred pelt

Goldenflower – pale ginger tabby she-cat (mother of Brambleclaw and Tawnypelt)

* * *

 **CATS OUTSIDE THE CLANS:**

Rusty – handsome ginger tom with green eyes, kittypet (Fiona's mate, Tinyclaw's half-brother)

Fiona – lovely long-haired white she-cat with pretty blue eyes, kittypet (mother of Cloudpaw)

Smudge – plump black-and-white kittypet

Barley – black-and-white loner, lives on the farm close to the forest

Ravenpaw – skinny black tom with a white chest and tail-tip; formerly of ThunderClan

Blackfoot – large white tom with huge black paws; formerly of ShadowClan

Boulder – silver tabby tom; formerly of ShadowClan


	2. Prologue

**Here's the prologue! Obviously, it's different from the original.**

* * *

 **Prologue**

 _Silence gripped the frozen fields_. Snow lay piled thickly against every willow tree, glittering with frosty starlight. Reeds broke through the surface, only to be coated in a layer of shiny frost themselves. The river was silent, moving swiftly and coldly beneath a blanket of ice thicker than a claw.

Frozen streams surrounded a tiny island, sheltered from the worst of the cold by big willow trees and their wide, hugging branches. Snow lay atop fallen logs and inconspicuous bushes. It was silent here, too – the faint murmur of wind rustling the frosty reeds together the loudest thing this night.

Eyes gleamed here and there, beneath the bushes and out of the logs – but no cat dared stir. No one wanted to be the first to venture out into the dark, cold night. Dawn was not far off, but its milky color hadn't touched the skies yet. The patrols could wait.

A great thicket of bush and reed and woven twigs was trembling. And a faint wail escaped out into the open. The eyes hidden in the bushes outside flashed at the sound.

Willow branches twitched as a broad-shouldered tom appeared in the island clearing. His paws broke through the soft fluff of the snow, crunching and packing down a path inside. He paused, ears twitching, listening. His senses were clogged by the large rabbit in his jaws, but his hearing was fine – when another wail came from within the thicket, his ears twitched.

The tom, his pelt white patched with black, headed for the thicket. Snow clumped against his paws as he cleared his way. He stopped to shake off the snow before entering the thicket through a small gap in the twigs, careful to keep his catch from getting snagged on the branches.

Inside the air was warm, almost stiflingly so. It was clouded with the smells of milk and cats and kittens, with a floor made of soft moss and crackly, sweet-smelling, heather. Inside were several cats – queens, and one other tom, along with several kits – huddled up together around a golden tabby queen whose big belly was heaving with effort. She let another wail.

The tom set down the rabbit. "How is she?" he asked.

"Swiftclaw," grunted the brown tabby tom attending to the golden she-cat. He laid his paws gently on her side. "She's doing fine."

"I… brought her a rabbit," Swiftclaw offered.

"I'm sure she'll appreciate it," purred a rickety gray queen.

The brown tom turned to the barrier suddenly and, using his teeth, tore out a large stick. Swiftclaw flinched, wondering if the thicket would collapse around them – but it didn't. The brown tom turned back to the shivering queen and offered the stick with a nod of his head.

"It's time," the gray queen breathed.

The golden she-cat's eyes, bulging and wide, flickered from the queen to the brown tom to Swiftclaw. Then, she swallowed hard and nodded, her eyes resting on Swiftclaw.

"This is not my first time," she breathed.

Swiftclaw swallowed as he watched his mother reach for the stick. She gripped it in her jaws tight – and just in time. Her stomach gave a powerful ripple, and Swiftclaw saw the flash of claws as she gripped her moss-and-heather nest. Her breathing sped up, almost twice as fast, and her face contorted with effort. A powerful ripple passed through her.

"Good, good," cooed the brown tom. He was waiting near her tail, his eyes focused on her. He measured the ripples in her side with his eyes, and they gleamed. Swiftclaw swallowed – he was no she-cat, nor was he a medicine cat. He had to believe things were going well.

"Breathe," urged the brown tom. He laid a paw on the queen's heaving stomach. "The first is almost there."

The golden queen nodded and Swiftclaw saw his mother's teeth as she dug them into the stick. She grunted with the effort, sending a powerful push through her body. A warm scent filled the air as she suddenly lay back on her side, all the strength drained from her body, panting around the stick.

"There, there," meowed the brown tom. He lifted his head and turned to the gray queen. "A tom," he grunted. "Hurry, now."

"A tom!" purred the older queen. "Oh, how wonderful!"

The gray she-cat quickly lunged forward and pulled out of the nest a slimy kitten. She immediately set about licking it, over and over and over, until it let out a squeaking cry.

Swiftclaw's eyes widened as he took in the sight. The tiny tom's cries were loud, but they were strong and healthy. Swiftclaw could already see the shape of his head and the shoulders, and the dark brown tabby pelt slicked up into spikes…

 _A brown tabby,_ Swiftclaw thought, frowning.

"Only one more to go, Goldenflower," urged the brown tom. "Your son is breathing fine, but he's waiting for his littermate."

Goldenflower's eyes were huge as she looked at her son. She swallowed again and nodded. Another powerful ripple – breathing, breathing – and then another. Three more ripples passed before Goldenflower's second kit, a little she-cat, was born. This time it was laid at Swiftclaw's paws.

"Lick," commanded the brown tom.

Swiftclaw nodded – he knew better than to disobey a medicine cat. He bent his head and rasped his tongue along the kit's pelt, first nipping open the strange membrane that covered it and then licking the fur the wrong way to warm. It wasn't long until she opened her jaws and cried out as well, louder than her brother.

"Vocal, she is!" cooed the old gray queen. "They're so lovely, Goldenflower! A tom and she-cat, both healthy…" Her eyes flashed with longing, and Swiftclaw felt a pang of sympathy – the old queen had lost two of her kits to this cold leaf-bare already. Her third was sleeping with the apprentices tonight, to keep out of Goldenflower's way.

"Thank you," breathed Goldenflower, dropping the stick. "Mudfur, Graypool… thank you both."

Mudfur nodded. He turned to Graypool and meowed, "Keep an eye on her, make sure she eats all her borage. Come for me if anything happens."

"I will," Graypool agreed.

"The kits should nurse," Mudfur decided, "and Goldenflower needs her rest."

Swiftclaw gently, gently picked up the little she-cat and laid her next to her mother. The mottled tortoiseshell, her pelt pale and rippling with blotchy colors, wiggled up and up and latched onto her mother easily. Graypool did the same with the tabby tom, nudging him gently in the right direction. The nursery fell quiet with relief as they began to suckle.

Goldenflower let out a hearty purr and wrapped her tail around them both, looking down with love and adoration.

"Any idea on their names?" Graypool wondered.

Goldenflower blinked up at the old queen. "I…"

"She doesn't have to decide that right away," Mudfur insisted.

"No, no," Goldenflower meowed, "it's all right. I've got names for them."

Swiftclaw watched his mother lower her head to the she-cat. "Tawnykit," she decided, "for the mottling of her pelt."

Goldenflower looked at the tom. "Bramblekit," she added, "for his sharp stripes."

Mudfur's whiskers twitched. "Very well," he decided. "I'll tell Crookedstar."

"They're so lovely, Goldenflower," purred Graypool. "They're going to grow up strong, I know it."

Goldenflower was nodding. "I know it, too."

Swiftclaw frowned, staring at the kits. It was there – in the twitch of their ear, in the size of their paws, in the sheen of their coats. There was no cat in RiverClan like them yet here they were, born on this moonless night in the dead cold of leaf-bare.

"Is that rabbit for me?" Goldenflower wondered.

Swiftclaw swallowed. "Yes," he managed.

"Thank you," Goldenflower purred, her eyes glowing. "Oh Swiftclaw… you're a brother!"

Swiftclaw forced a smile.

 _Yes, I am,_ he thought.

 _But at what cost?_


	3. Chapter 1

**The prologue did take place in the past. Swiftclaw is the replacement for Oakheart in the original series - the RiverClan deputy before Leopardfur.**

 **I'm sorry, I didn't mean to leave Nightpelt's name that way. He is Nightstar just as he was in the original series - more or less a cosmetic title, since he doesn't have all nine of his lives. His role has not really changed, but I will be providing more details on it. The extra arc I mentioned is really just a small change to how Brackenfur's arc plays out, with a little more context and detail into why he makes the decision he (obviously) makes.**

 **Graypool's dead kits are the same that died in canon. I like to think that she dotes on Goldenflower's litter and treats them like the ones she'd lost.**

* * *

 **Chapter 1**

 _The wind was cold and_ bitter, as if it were made of frost itself. Tinyclaw trudged through the snow, his short legs aching. The warmth of the mouse in his jaws kept him going, despite the aches and the pains of hunger in his own belly. He hadn't eaten since the day before – a grim sign of the season.

Yet the hunger did not bother him utterly. As Tinyclaw picked his way down the ravine and circled the thorn barrier to the entrance of the ThunderClan camp, he recalled fondly the battle just the other day – an epic fight with all four Clans struggling in WindClan's moorland camp, trying to drive the rabbit-chasers out of the forest once more. With ThunderClan's help, RiverClan and ShadowClan did not succeed – WindClan was here to stay, and all four Clans were back in the forest once more.

Tinyclaw pushed his way through the thorn tunnel and into the camp. The ravine sheltered the ThunderClan camp from the majority of the howling winds, but Tinyclaw could still feel it sheering off of his spine. His limbs shivered, and he wanted nothing more than to curl up in his own nest.

A muffled screech made his ear flick. Tinyclaw paused by the fresh-kill pile and looked to the nursery. Inside the bramble patch, Bluefur, the Clan deputy, was kitting – the pains had started early in the morning. From the sound of things, the kits would be coming soon themselves.

Tinyclaw set down his mouse with the meager, frozen, offerings on the fresh-kill pile. He flattened his ears with worry. Bluefur had been his mentor when Tinyclaw had come to the forest, but she was a dangerous cat. Ravenpaw, an old denmate, had witnessed her murdering the former deputy of ThunderClan, Redtail, in cold blood, in order to become deputy herself.

Ravenpaw was safe beyond the moors, but Bluefur was ThunderClan's deputy now. Tinyclaw knew she would be out of commission for a while thanks to her kits, but she would not be gone forever… and she had proven that she can do her vile work even while inside the nursery.

 _Those kits,_ he thought, hearing a squeal. _Those poor kits. How can they grow up with a mother like her?_ Bluefur had been a vicious, cold, mentor – Tinyclaw didn't want to think of what kind of mother she would be. At least her mate, Oakheart, seemed to have a good head on his shoulders – Tinyclaw was sure he knew nothing about what Bluefur had done.

Tinyclaw glanced once more at the pile. Though his stomach was growling, he didn't dare take food – Bluefur was going to need all the nourishment she could get if her kits were going to survive this leaf-bare cold. ThunderClan had lost too many kits already.

He turned back towards the warrior's den. He would get warm for a little bit, then head out hunting again. Tinyclaw cast a stray glance at the apprentice's den and felt a pang. _The hunting would go smoother if I had an apprentice…_ But Brackenpaw had been injured in an accident on the Thunderpath more than a moon ago and was crippled. There was little hope he could return to training.

The branches screening the warrior's den twitched as Tinyclaw approached. Darkstripe emerged just then, his yellow eyes narrowed at Tinyclaw, who stopped to avoid slamming into the dark-pelted warrior.

"Tinyclaw," he growled with an unfriendly tone. Tinyclaw twitched an ear – Darkstripe didn't even bother to try hiding his disdain.

"Just going to rest before heading out again," Tinyclaw replied evenly. He would not give Darkstripe the satisfaction of thinking he cared about a hair on Darkstripe's pelt.

"Don't bother," Darkstripe grunted. He looked utterly dissatisfied, and Tinyclaw suppressed the urge to look happy about it. "Tigerstar says you and Graystripe are to come to the Gathering tonight."

"And you?" Tinyclaw wondered.

Darkstripe's neck fur bristled, and the dark tabby didn't reply. He snorted and whipped away, stalking through the snow. Tinyclaw watched him go, amusement twitching through his whiskers. He was still sniggering softly when he entered the warrior's den and huddled up into his nest beside Graystripe, his best friend.

"What do you think you're doing, mouse-brain?" Graystripe hissed. The large gray tom pressed close, sensing his friend's chilly fur against his own. "Don't rile Darkstripe like that! You know that everything he hears goes right to Bluefur!"

"I can't help it," Tinyclaw mumbled back, trying to keep the laugh out of his voice. "Ever since he failed to kill me during the battle, he's been so _angry…_ he's like a porcupine every time I see him! It's nice to know I've gotten under his fur." Tinyclaw stretched out a leg and began to wash.

"Yeah, well, don't let it get to your head," Graystripe warned. The hefty tom let out a sigh. "I'm sorry," he murmured.

"Oh?" Tinyclaw wondered between licks. "What for?"

Graystripe's eyes flickered to and fro, but the warrior's den was mostly empty. Only Runningwind lay in his nest, snoring – the night patrol had worn him out, and he'd sustained exhausting wounds from the battle.

"Darkstripe wouldn't be so angry with you if it weren't for me," Graystripe sighed. "Because of me and Silverstream…"

Tinyclaw laid his tail against Graystripe's flank. Graystripe's secret relationship with the RiverClan she-cat Silverstream had caused quite a lot of strain between the two of them since its beginning, and it had nearly driven them apart utterly. Now that they were friends again unconditionally, it was not as sensitive a topic as before. Tinyclaw still thought Graystripe was mouse-brained, but now he knew better than to try and get in the way and stop him.

"Want to get something to eat?" Tinyclaw suggested.

Graystripe shook his head. "Too cold," he sighed. "There's not much out there, and I'd feel guilty, what with Bluefur and all…"

Tinyclaw nodded in agreement.

"We can just wait until Mousefur's patrol comes back," Graystripe sighed, resting his head on his paws.

Tinyclaw added, "Sandstorm is with them – they'll bring back more than just a measly mouse!"

Graystripe smirked knowingly. "Sometimes I think you're moonier than _me,"_ he chuckled.

Tinyclaw gave him a playful shove. Amongst his friends it was no secret that he had feelings for the pale ginger she-cat – even though she didn't seem to care much for him in the beginning. Now that they were past that rocky stage, their friendship seemed to be flourishing. Tinyclaw was not going to force things, but inside he hoped Sandstorm might feel the same about him.

"Hey, hey," Graystripe hissed, "Runningwind's trying to sleep over there!"

Tinyclaw relented. The two friends huddled together in the warmth of the den and settled down.

"So, what do you think the Clans will talk about tonight?" Tinyclaw wondered.

"I don't know, but the battle will definitely come up," Graystripe sighed. "I doubt Tigerstar will be able to announce Bluefur's kits."

"Still, I hope RiverClan and ShadowClan have learned their lesson," Tinyclaw meowed. "WindClan won't be driven out of their territory again."

"It wasn't just about territory," Graystripe reminded him. "RiverClan has been going hungry all leaf-bare, thanks to Twolegs messing with their river. I don't know about ShadowClan's situation, but RiverClan's been going without food for so long… can you blame them?"

Tinyclaw narrowed his eyes.

Graystripe flicked an ear awkwardly. "Sorry."

"It's all right," Tinyclaw assured him. Graystripe's relationship with Silverstream gave him a difficult perspective on the situation.

The two hunkered down in their nest, but Tinyclaw kept his eyes on Darkstripe outside the den. The dark warrior was just leaving the nursery, probably after checking on Bluefur. Tinyclaw bristled at the thought of them conspiring, even while Bluefur was _giving birth_ , for StarClan's sake. Graystripe shifted uncomfortably.

"Will you _stop_ that?" Graystripe hissed.

"I don't trust them," Tinyclaw hissed back.

Graystripe rolled his eyes. "Darkstripe is my half-brother and I don't trust him either – but that doesn't mean you need to go spiking everyone with your fur every time you see him!"

"It's not just him," Tinyclaw insisted. "It's Bluefur, too. Darkstripe is just a lacky."

He looked back out, eyeing the nursery. "If only I could _prove_ it, without a doubt," he sighed. "If only…" He closed his eyes. Then, like a blow to the head – it came to him. "Ravenpaw!"

Graystripe tilted his head. "What about him?"

"Ravenpaw knows what happened," Tinyclaw told him. "Tigerstar didn't believe me the first time because I didn't have all the details, but Ravenpaw… Ravenpaw _knows!_ I need to see him again."

Graystripe narrowed his eyes and then he sighed. "Fine. If you insist on going all that way… I'm coming with you. When are we going?"

Tinyclaw flicked his tail.

"Tonight."

* * *

The sky was clear and the snow had stopped by the time Tigerstar and the Gathering party were making their way to Fourtrees. Tinyclaw kept close to this leader, with Graystripe beside him. The gray warrior was doing his best to keep himself from charging ahead.

Tinyclaw sighed. "If you're going to see her," he hissed, quietly, "at least try not to let Longtail see you." Darkstripe, thankfully, had not come to this Gathering tonight. Longtail, however, could be just as bad and had been proven to be quite the lackey.

"I know, I know," Graystripe insisted. "It'll be fine."

They arrived at the edge of the hollow and stopped by Tigerstar's order. Down below the other three Clans were already mingling, and Tinyclaw spotted Silverstream – the young pale tabby was with other RiverClan cats. Tinyclaw turned his head to warn Graystripe further, but the gray warrior's eyes were too far gone.

Whitestorm approached, picking his way through the crowd and up to Tigerstar's side. The white warrior had taken over deputy duties for Bluefur alongside Oakheart – but Oakheart insisted in remaining in the camp tonight for the sake of his kits. "Tigerstar, what are we going to say about Brokentail?"

The whole group tensed, waiting for Tigerstar's answer. Brokentail had been once known as Brokenstar – ShadowClan's cruel former leader, driven out of power by ThunderClan. During a scuffle with his rogues, Brokentail had been blinded and wounded greatly. ThunderClan kept him now as a guarded prisoner.

"We say nothing," Tigerstar decided, his amber eyes emotionless.

"Nothing?" hissed Dustpelt. "Are we ashamed to admit what we've done?"

"Not at all," Tigerstar assured the young warrior. "But we don't want to go about causing unnecessary trouble." He raised his voice and commanded, "Hear me – no cat is to mention anything about Brokentail tonight. Is that understood?"

The Clan murmured their agreement.

Tigerstar nodded in satisfaction. "Very well," he meowed. "Let's head down."

He raised his tail, and the Gathering party surged forward. Tinyclaw tried to keep an eye on Graystripe through their descent into the hollow, but somehow the gray warrior got lost in the crowd. Tinyclaw sighed, slowing as he neared a group of elders with Patchpelt.

 _I'll catch up with him later,_ he thought. _But he'd better be careful!_

Tinyclaw followed Patchpelt into the group of elders – cats Tinyclaw didn't know. He kept a little out of their way, not wanting to intrude and feeling a little uncomfortable around the other Clans – how Patchpelt managed it, Tinyclaw didn't know.

 _He's an elder,_ Tinyclaw thought. He looked over the old cats and saw no hostility in their eyes when they looked at each other. Just white muzzles. _They all are. I guess they're too old for Clan rivalries._

"This leaf-bare is _nothing,"_ a grizzled gray tom hissed. His muzzle was silver with age and he carried the scent of WindClan on his scarred, patchy pelt. "I remember one far worse – the river was frozen for moons, even in the gorge!"

"Yes, Crowfur," an old tabby queen agreed. "Prey was scarce, even for RiverClan."

Crowfur threw a glance at Tinyclaw. "Young cats today," he hissed. "No perspective or respect. Always complaining about how bad things are!"

Tinyclaw shuffled his paws awkwardly. Patchpelt twitched his whiskers.

"I know the leaf-bare you speak of," he sighed. "It was a bad one. Many kits were lost. And the thaw…"

"Yes, the thaw!" the queen lamented. "The gorge rose so high… and RiverClan nearly lost their camp to the floods!"

"Dreadful, it was," Crowfur grunted. "Young cats… they don't know just how lucky they are! If they went through another leaf-bare like that, they'd snap like a twig!"

Tinyclaw flattened his eyes and opened his jaws, but Patchpelt shook his head. Tinyclaw closed his mouth, leering at Crowfur. Patchpelt pressed against Tinyclaw and guided the small warrior away from the elders and into the crowd.

"Don't mind Crowfur," Patchpelt offered. "He'd find fault with StarClan."

"I'm sure," Tinyclaw grumbled.

Patchpelt rolled his eyes. "Youngsters," he sighed. He nudged Tinyclaw. "Go find a spot for the meeting. It'll start soon."

Tinyclaw nodded and said a brief good-bye to the elder. He pushed his way through the crowd and found Graystripe sitting with Sandstorm. Tinyclaw settled between them and asked, "Did I miss anything?"

"Nothing important," Sandstorm sighed. "ShadowClan and RiverClan are being prickly."

"Well, WindClan's elders aren't exactly friendly, if Crowfur is any indication," Tinyclaw assured her. He glanced at Graystripe, whose eyes were shining. So he had been able to talk to Silverstream after all! Tinyclaw hoped no cat had seen him.

The chatter in the clearing ended when Tallstar yowled for silence. The black-and-white WindClan leader began the meeting by reporting how his Clan was doing after the battle: "We have lost an elder," Tallstar reported, "but WindClan will not budge. We live on to fight another day."

Nightstar narrowed his eyes, and Crookedstar's fur bristled. Tinyclaw tensed – would they start a fight at a Gathering?

Tigerstar stepped forward, pushing between Nightstar and Crookedstar with his great broad shoulders. "This is good news, Tallstar," he rumbled. "We should all be glad that WindClan grows strong again."

Crookedstar said nothing, but Nightstar's eyes blazed. Tinyclaw glared up at the ShadowClan leader. Under Brokentail's rule, ShadowClan had driven WindClan from their hunting grounds utterly, to live beneath Thunderpath tunnels like rats. Tigerstar had asked Oakheart, Graystripe, and Tinyclaw to go and rescue the missing Clan – and Tinyclaw was not about to let Nightstar do the same cruel thing again.

 _Life in the forest depends on all four Clans,_ Tinyclaw thought. _There is a balance._ The thought reminded him of Bluefur – what would she do if she became leader? Would she drive out the other Clans? Tinyclaw fidgeted on his paws, wishing the Gathering would get itself over with so he could see Ravenpaw and get what information he needed to expose Bluefur.

"ThunderClan is also recovering well," Tigerstar went on. "Since the last Gathering, two of our apprentices have become warriors – they are now known as Dustpelt and Sandstorm."

The Clans erupted in cheers for the new warriors, but Tinyclaw noticed that WindClan and ThunderClan were calling their names louder than the others.

When the noise died down, Tigerstar went on, "Bluefur is back at camp this moon giving birth to her kits – soon ThunderClan will have new faces, and Bluefur will be back into her deputy position when the kits are weaned."

There was more cheering, but not so boisterous as for the new warriors. Tinyclaw cheered out of obligation and tried to make it seem like it wasn't forced. The cheering ended quickly, and the meeting progressed.

Nightstar's and Crookedstar's announcements were mostly having to do with their recovery from the battle. No Clan had lost warriors, but some were badly wounded. Their announcements were terse and uncomfortable, as if reporting their status to the victors was something of a weakness. No cat mentioned anything about accusing others of hunting in their territory – the real cause of the disparity had been Brokentail and his rogues.

The meeting was done quickly, and the Clans began to break apart to head home. Tinyclaw stood and stretched.

"Ready?" Graystripe wondered.

"Yep," Tinyclaw replied.

"Ready for what?"

Tinyclaw flinched. He had almost forgotten that Sandstorm had been sitting beside him – his mind had been so occupied; he was usually very conscious of her presence. He stared at her, dumbstruck. "Uh…"

Sandstorm tipped her head. " _Uh_ what?" she wondered, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "What are you two up to?"

Tinyclaw looked frantically at Graystripe. The gray tom rolled his eyes and replied, "We're going hunting."

"Oh?" Sandstorm replied. "Can I come?"

"Nah," Graystripe replied. "Mudclaw said there's a warren of rabbits just inside our territory, on a narrow strip near RiverClan territory. Too many cats might risk crossing the border. Tell Tigerstar for us, will you?"

Sandstorm narrowed her eyes skeptically. But, she flicked her tail and meowed, "Sure." She leered at Tinyclaw. "Next time, though, don't leave me out. You know how much I love hunting rabbits!" She turned away and trotted after the rest of the ThunderClan group.

"S-Sorry!" Tinyclaw called after her. Tinyclaw sighed and turned to Graystripe. "Thanks," he offered. "She caught me off guard."

"Yeah, yeah," Graystripe groaned, rolling his eyes. "Save it. You couldn't lie to Sandstorm if your life depended on it."

Tinyclaw butted him in the shoulder gratefully. He was more than thankful that they were friends again – what would he do without that big furball? "Let's get going, then," Tinyclaw offered.

"Yeah," Graystripe agreed. He heaved a sigh. "I'm not looking forward to it, just so you know."

Tinyclaw nodded knowingly. "Thank you."

"No need." Graystripe flicked his tail dismissively. "Friends do this sort of risky stuff for their friends. Lead the way."

Tinyclaw brushed against his friend as he headed up the opposite slope. Graystripe followed, and together they trotted out onto WindClan territory.


	4. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

 _Tinyclaw sniffed the air warily,_ smelling Twolegs. In the distance shimmered the lights of a Twoleg nest that rested at the edge of Clan territories. His ear twitched as he heard a dog bark – but he recalled that Barley had said the Twolegs let them loose at night. He hoped that they had forgotten – they needed to cross the field and get to Ravenpaw before they were caught by the dogs.

"Anything?" Graystripe wondered, padding up to his side.

"Twoleg and dog, mostly," Tinyclaw replied. He lifted his muzzle again, sorting through the scents. Twoleg and dog were prevalent, but underneath… yes, it was there – just barely, but it was there. Ravenpaw! "Come on."

He led the way, following the stale scent through the slush. His paws were numb by the time they reached the barn on the other side of the field. A light seeped through a crack in the door, one big enough for a cat to squeeze through. Tinyclaw and Graystripe both wiggled their way inside.

They were immediately confronted by a wall of warmth, the likes of which neither had felt in moons. It shocked the cold out of their system, and Tinyclaw sniffled as his nose began to run a little. The smell of hay and cats and mice filled their warm air, and Tinyclaw called, "Ravenpaw? Ravenpaw, are you there?"

At the furthest corner, a bale of hay shifted. A sleek black face poked out of the bale. "Tinyclaw?" called the cat.

Tinyclaw purred, and Graystripe meowed, "Not just him!"

The black cat let out a trill of joy and leaped out of the hay. As he approached, Tinyclaw noted just how sleek Ravenpaw looked. The black tom was certainly doing well for himself out here, with Barley. With a pang, Tinyclaw realized that he and Graystripe must look like a mess of bones and fur to him.

Ravenpaw was purring loud as he brushed his muzzles against both Tinyclaw and Graystripe. Tinyclaw's fur warmed as Ravenpaw had to stoop a little to brush muzzles with him – Ravenpaw had gotten so tall! Tinyclaw felt like an apprentice in comparison.

"Welcome," Ravenpaw mewed to them. "It's so good to see you!"

"It's good to see _you,"_ Graystripe stressed, smirking. "You look well!"

"The mice run well in the barn," Ravenpaw admitted. His eyes darted over the two warriors. "Far better than in the forest, I think." Tinyclaw shifted on his paws awkwardly. Ravenpaw flicked an ear and went on, "Well? Did WindClan make it back to their camp all right?"

"It's kind of a long story," Tinyclaw meowed, "but yes; they're all right. That's not why we're here though -"

"What's this, now?"

Tinyclaw's fur ruffled and Graystripe stiffened as another hay bale twitched. A stocky black-and-white tom, well-muscled and well-fed, strode out. Tinyclaw's fur flattened when he recognized Barley, the cat who had been kind enough to share his home with a terrified Ravenpaw.

"Barley," Graystripe sighed. His body relaxed. "Good to see you. How are you?"

"Good," Barley replied curtly. His eyes flickered between the warriors and Ravenpaw. "Looks like you've got visitors?"

Ravenpaw nodded.

"I'll leave you to that, then," Barley decided. The black cat stretched. "I'm sure there's a rat or two out there for me to catch. Have fun, Ravenpaw."

"You too," Ravenpaw replied. "Watch out for the dogs!"

Barley waved his tail. He passed through Tinyclaw and Graystripe and out into the night, leaving the three cats alone in the warmth of the barn. Tinyclaw watched Barley disappear in the cold before turning back to Ravenpaw.

"We've got a lot to talk about," Tinyclaw offered. "It's really important; there isn't any time to waste."

Ravenpaw flicked an ear. "How about you both eat first?" he offered. "There are plenty of mice, and Barley won't mind."

Tinyclaw glanced at Graystripe. The gray tom answered for them both, meowing, "Bring 'em on! We're starving."

Ravenpaw flicked his tail at the lofty barn around him. "Go right ahead," he meowed. "My barn is your barn… and that includes the mice!"

* * *

"I _know_ Bluefur killed Redtail," Ravenpaw insisted, his eyes serious. "I saw her do it with my own two eyes. I was _there."_

Tinyclaw shifted his position. The hay was warm, but rather prickly. The three cats were lounging in the hay bales, warm and full-fed. The warmth and the food would have been enough to send both warriors into a long sleep, but they were here on business. The drowsiness would have to wait.

"Tell us everything you remember," Tinyclaw urged. He gave Ravenpaw an encouraging nod.

Ravenpaw still looked rather uncomfortable with the subject. The battle at Sunningrocks had always been sensitive for him. But he flicked his tail and meowed, "I had been wounded in the shoulder and Redtail told me to hide in one of the crevices until it was safe for me to get away. I was about to make a run for it when Redtail got attacked by a big RiverClan cat just outside of my hiding spot. I think… yes, it was the brown tabby warrior Brambleclaw. Brambleclaw was big, but Redtail managed to knock him off of his paws and was ready to sink his teeth in for some serious injury…"

Tinyclaw grimaced. He'd faced Brambleclaw himself in battle multiple times – the warrior was no one to sneeze at. Big, bulky, and strong as a badger.

"Well, did he?" Graystripe wondered. His eyes were sparkling at the story despite the seriousness. Ravenpaw always knew how to spin a good story.

Ravenpaw shook his head. "Redtail never got the chance. Swiftclaw appeared and pushed Redtail off of Brambleclaw. Brambleclaw fled, I think, but now Redtail and Swiftclaw were fighting… and Redtail wasn't happy about Swiftclaw's interference.

"He spat at Swiftclaw, wondering if RiverClan warriors couldn't fight their own battles – it was a very brave thing to do," Ravenpaw mewed, "Swiftclaw was twice his size. Swiftclaw said something strange, though. Something really strange."

"What'd he say?" Tinyclaw wondered. He didn't know much of anything about Swiftclaw – what kind of cat he was, or even what he'd looked like. He had died before Tinyclaw came to the forest, in that battle, and Tinyclaw was intrigued by him and the part he played in all this.

"He said that… no ThunderClan cat would harm Brambleclaw," Ravenpaw replied. He narrowed his eyes, as if the statement were just as confusing as it sounded.

" _What?"_ Graystripe hissed. "That makes no sense!"

"I was right there," Ravenpaw meowed, "and I heard it clear as a bird's call. It still doesn't make any sense to me."

"Clans fight all the time," Tinyclaw pointed out. "Of course Swiftclaw would have wanted to protect his warriors, but there's no need for such favoritism. What's so special about Brambleclaw?"

Ravenpaw shrugged. "I don't know," he replied. "But that's what happened."

Tinyclaw frowned. That bothered him, but it was not part of the main issue, he sensed. He flicked his tail at Ravenpaw and meowed, "Go on."

Ravenpaw nodded and sighed. He took a deep breath before continuing, "Redtail and Swiftclaw got into after that. What a fight! They rolled all over Sunningrocks… but I lost sight of them eventually. They passed behind one of the big rocks and I couldn't see them anymore. I heard a rumble… something like a rock collapsing. Then…" he trembled, "what a screech!"

"A screech?" Graystripe wondered. Tinyclaw narrowed his eyes, trying to follow the battle in his head.

"I… I _had_ to come out and see," Ravenpaw went on. He was trembling a little. "I heard the rocks fall, and I wanted to know if Redtail had made it out… When I saw the rocks, Redtail was fine, but Swiftclaw… I saw his tail sticking out from under a pile of stones. He… He'd been crushed!"

 _Crushed?_ Tinyclaw thought. _Just like that?_ Was it possible? All the rocks at Sunningrocks seemed so sturdy. Could they really have fallen just like that?

Ravenpaw went on, trembling more and more as he spoke: "Bluefur was behind me. She… she told me to head back to camp. T-That the battle was over. So I-I did. I started back, but…"

"But…?" Graystripe wondered.

Ravenpaw's eyes darted to and fro. "I was so worried. The other ThunderClan warriors had left, but I didn't know if all the RiverClan cats had left. If Bluefur and Redtail got caught unaware… I-I turned back… t-the rocks were quiet and there was still dust settling from the rockfall…

"Bluefur… I saw her go up to Redtail. S-She… I think she asked if he was all right. I didn't hear them. They sat in silence, until all the RiverClan warriors were gone. They just… sat there, looking at Swiftclaw under those rocks. And then…"

"Bluefur killed him," Tinyclaw guessed.

Ravenpaw nodded. "Just like that," he squeaked. "She… she said something to him, and Redtail said something back. And then she just… knocked his paws out from under him and… and… and she… she sank her teeth into his throat like he was… like he was _prey."_

Tinyclaw felt a shiver run down his spine. His ears throbbed and rang at Ravenpaw's words, and his claws flexed as if he had been part of that battle himself.

"So Redtail didn't kill Swiftclaw," Graystripe meowed. "It was the rocks. An accident. No cat killed him! Tinyclaw, isn't this the sort of thing you were looking for?"

Tinyclaw blinked. "Yes," he meowed. He remembered the doubt in Tigerstar's eyes when Tinyclaw had tried to warn him before, moons ago. He hadn't believed Ravenpaw's words then, and somehow Tinyclaw doubted that he would believe Ravenpaw's words now. "It doesn't outright _prove_ that Bluefur killed Redtail, though."

Graystripe flicked an ear. "I suppose that's true."

"I _saw_ it, Tinyclaw," Ravenpaw hissed, lashing his tail. "With my own eyes!"

"Yes, but we need more than that," Tinyclaw sighed. He flexed his claws into the hay. "Tigerstar won't just believe one cat with something like this."

"So what will you do?" Graystripe wondered.

Tinyclaw frowned in thought. He might not be able to use Ravenpaw's statement to prove _everything_ about that night, but there was one thing that could cast at least a shadow of doubt onto Bluefur. "The rockfall."

"Hm?" grunted Graystripe.

"If I can prove that the rocks killed Swiftclaw, not an enemy warrior, then it will prove that Bluefur lied when she said that she killed Swiftclaw in revenge for killing Redtail," Tinyclaw explained. "I just have to prove the rockfall!"

Graystripe frowned, and then glanced at Ravenpaw. "Ravenpaw," he meowed, "at the Gathering you said that Swiftclaw died in battle, not because of rocks. You made it sound like Redtail had killed Swiftclaw."

Ravenpaw flicked his tail. "I… I know," he mumbled. "But… do you blame me for fudging it a little? I didn't know who was listening… who was on Bluefur's side," he meowed.

Tinyclaw flicked his tail. _"That's_ why Tigerstar didn't listen," he meowed, feeling a little bit of excitement leaping in his chest. "She couldn't believe that Redtail would kill another deputy like that – but he _didn't._ If we can prove the rockfall story, then Tigerstar will _have_ to take this seriously!

"Is there anything more?" Tinyclaw urged, looking excitedly at Ravenpaw. "Anything at all?"

Ravenpaw flinched at him, his eyes wide and hunted. Tinyclaw swallowed, realizing that he could smell his friend's fear-scent. Tinyclaw relaxed himself and murmured, "Sorry."

"It's… It's all right, Tinyclaw," Ravenpaw murmured. "I appreciate this."

"It means so much to me," Tinyclaw assured him, "and to the Clan. We need to stop Bluefur before she does something to put us all in great danger."

"It's too bad, though, that you told Tigerstar Ravenpaw's first story," Graystripe pointed out. "Now he might not believe you now that you've changed everything."

"But nothing's changed!" Tinyclaw insisted. "We just misunderstood Ravenpaw's first story. He was scared and on the run when he told us that story. He was bound to forget or misplace something! I'll find some way to prove the rockfall story, and I'll use that to convince Tigerstar."

Graystripe sighed, but he said nothing.

Tinyclaw turned to Ravenpaw and touched his nose to his friend's shoulder. "We know the truth now," he meowed. "Thank you."

Ravenpaw sighed shakily. "Anything for you two," he meowed resolutely.

* * *

The three cats shared tongues, sharing news and gossip, for some time. Soon enough, though, Tinyclaw and Graystripe had to part ways. The shine in Ravenpaw's eyes was hard to ignore – he had finally gotten something powerful and painful off of his chest, and he would be all the stronger for it.

"Take care," Ravenpaw urged as the two warriors headed for the barn entrance. "Watch out for Bluefur – she may be a mother, but that doesn't change the fact that she's dangerous."

"Don't worry," Tinyclaw assured him. He thought of the battle in WindClan's camp, of Darkstripe watching as Leopardfur sliced him to ribbons. Bluefur had asked for him to die in that battle, but Tinyclaw had managed to live. And live he would. "You've given us all we need to deal with her."

Ravenpaw meowed one final good-bye. Tinyclaw and Graystripe slipped out of the barn and out into the frozen world, shivering as the air hit them like a blow.

Graystripe's teeth chattered, "It's freezing!"

Tinyclaw nodded in agreement. "We should still look for prey to take back to the Clan," he insisted.

Graystripe chattered back, "We should have taken some mice from the barn…"

"Oh?" Tinyclaw chuckled, "And what would you tell Oakheart and Whitestorm about where we got such fat mice? What would we tell a WindClan patrol if they caught us with prey on their territory? No… it's too much hassle. Let's just find something in the forest. There has to be prey somewhere."

Graystripe grunted skeptically, but he followed Tinyclaw's lead as they made their way across the fields, up the hill and onto the moorland. The moon was setting, the sky paling for dawn as they picked their way across the moorland.

Tinyclaw's legs were aching, but his mind was spinning with all the new information. He tried to focus, but he couldn't help but keep thinking about what Ravenpaw had told them. Graystripe was right – it was too bad that Tinyclaw had told Tigerstar the first story. Now how would he believe this one, and what's more, how would Tinyclaw prove the rockfall?

Suddenly, it hit him. Tinyclaw stopped walking and meowed, "RiverClan!"

Graystripe was a pace ahead when he stopped. "What?" he asked, turning his head against the wind.

"RiverClan would know!" Tinyclaw insisted. "About the rockfall – whether it really happened or not!"

"You're right," Graystripe meowed, his eyes flashing. "They would have been able to examine Swiftclaw's body. They would know how he really died!"

"We just need to speak to Brambleclaw, or some other warrior who was in the battle!" Tinyclaw went on, his heart beating in his ears. "Maybe we can figure out why Swiftclaw didn't want any ThunderClan warrior harming Brambleclaw?"

Graystripe flattened his ears suddenly. "You can't just walk up to the RiverClan camp and ask stuff like that, though!" he meowed. "It was so tense at the Gathering, and RiverClan hasn't liked us for a long time!"

Tinyclaw narrowed his eyes knowingly. "I know _one_ RiverClan warrior who would welcome you."

"M-Me?" Graystripe sputtered. "S-Silverstream?!"

Tinyclaw nodded. He pleaded, "Graystripe, you're the only cat in ThunderClan with any sort of ties to RiverClan. I _need_ your help for this!"

Graystripe sighed, looking away. He shivered. "Yes," he murmured, "I suppose I owe you that much." Louder, he promised, "I'll talk to Silverstream for you. See what happens. Now, can we _please_ get out of here? I'm freezing my paws off!"

Tinyclaw nodded and purred, brushing up against Graystripe in thanks. He knew just how dangerous this sort of thing was – but they needed the truth. He was glad Graystripe understood that.

The two kept close as they crossed WindClan territory. Dawn was well on the way. Their pace was quick – but not quick enough. Fourtrees was in sight, but so was something else – a WindClan patrol. Three cats, and all three changed direction to meet them.

Tinyclaw glanced nervously at Graystripe. Would they be upset? Of course they would be upset. Both warriors flexed their claws in anxiety. He recognized the uneven gait of Deadfoot as the WindClan deputy approached – Tornear and his apprentice, Runningpaw, was just behind.

 _Hurry, hurry,_ Tinyclaw thought frantically. _Come up with something, anything… we can't get caught here!_

"Hullo, Tinyclaw," Deadfoot grunted, stopping before them. "Graystripe. You're both a long way from home."

Tinyclaw glanced at Graystripe nervously. The gray warrior had nothing. Tinyclaw turned back to Deadfoot and blurted, "We picked up ShadowClan scent on your territory! We just… we wanted to see if everything was all right!"

"ShadowClan?" Deadfoot growled, his fur bristling. Tornear and Runningpaw looked none too happy about it, either.

Graystripe was quick to say, "We reckon it was an old scent! Nothing to worry about now. We're sorry to have crossed the border."

"It's all right," Tornear offered, his fur flattening. "You're welcome here – you two especially. The other Clans would have destroyed us if not for you and ThunderClan. Thanks to you, we have some peace."

Tinyclaw's ears burned at the praise. He and Graystripe had helped WindClan greatly in the past, but the admiration from the older warriors seemed… misplaced and inappropriate. Not only that, but Tinyclaw felt rather uncomfortable knowing that any cat had seen them tonight.

"We'd best be getting back," Tinyclaw mumbled. "I'm sure you can handle anything that comes up."

"May StarClan light your path," Deadfoot offered.

"Yours, too," Graystripe replied.

The two warriors stepped aside to let Deadfoot's patrol back into their territory. Then, quiet, they rushed back into their own territory.

"That was bad luck," Graystripe grunted once they were back underneath their own trees. ThunderClan scent markers were just behind their paws.

"Rotten luck," Tinyclaw agreed.

"I hope they don't say anything about us," Graystripe sighed. "We don't need _that_ kind of trouble."

Tinyclaw nodded in agreement. "Hopefully all this can be resolved before anything like that happens," he meowed. "Come on; we ought to try catching something before we head back."

* * *

Nothing.

"Nothing!" hissed Graystripe in frustration.

"I know," Tinyclaw hissed back. "Quiet, though! We don't want to wake the whole camp!"

The two were just passing through the thorn tunnel – but Tinyclaw couldn't help but be frustrated. Nothing! They had combed the forest as best as they could within the time that they had, but not a single mouse or bird had crossed their path. How were they going to explain this?

They padded into the clearing. It didn't seem like anyone was awake yet – and Tinyclaw took a deep breath of relief.

This was premature.

The nursery brambles rustled, and Oakheart padded out. Tinyclaw and Graystripe froze as the bracken-colored warrior scanned the clearing… and his eyes landed on them.

" _You,"_ he grumbled, obviously tired.

 _Oh, StarClan,_ Tinyclaw thought, as Oakheart approached. _Help us._

"Sandstorm tells me that you two went hunting," Oakheart grunted. His eyes flicked back and forth, to both Graystripe and Tinyclaw. "And yet… you carry nothing. Somehow, you smell of mouse."

Tinyclaw felt a chill flood his body.

Oakheart narrowed his eyes. "We have new kits to feed. So; do you mind explaining this one?"


	5. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

" _Well?" Oakheart wondered._

Tinyclaw sighed. There really was no way out of this. "We tried hunting," he meowed, "but we found nothing."

"And yet you smell of mouse," Oakheart sighed. Tinyclaw winced and looked away, and Graystripe sighed. Oakheart grunted, "Come on – let's take this to Tigerstar."

 _Fox-dung!_ Tinyclaw growled.

Graystripe and Tinyclaw had no choice but to follow. Oakheart led the way across the clearing, towards the Highrock. There, at its base, lay Tigerstar's den in a cave hollowed out by an old stream. The lichen that usually sheltered the den's entrance from view was brittle and dormant. When Oakheart shouldered his way into his den, Tigerstar raised his head from his nest in the sandy center and opened his eyes.

"What is it?" puzzled Tigerstar. His ears pricked. "Is it Bluefur? Is she all right?"

"She's fine, Tigerstar," Oakheart meowed tiredly. "Three healthy kits, and they're feeding well."

"Congratulations," Tigerstar purred. "I'll have to see them in the morning."

"Bluefur would like that," Oakheart mewed. Then, he flicked his tail towards Tinyclaw and Graystripe. "However, there's another matter to be seen to."

Tigerstar blinked, and looked at the two warriors. Tinyclaw's paws trembled as Tigerstar's eyes glossed with confusion. "What is it?" he asked, again.

"These two were reportedly out hunting after the Gathering," Oakheart explained, "but they've caught nothing and both of them smell of mouse."

Tigerstar's nose twitched, and Tinyclaw wondered if the smell was that powerful. The massive tom swung his head between Tinyclaw and Graystripe. He asked, "How can this be?"

Tinyclaw sighed, but Graystripe pointed out, "We weren't on an official hunting patrol – we ate the first thing we could find to keep our strength up, but…"

"But there wasn't anything else after that," Tinyclaw finished. He appreciated Graystripe's lie. "We had a run of bad luck."

Tigerstar snorted. "In leaf-bare, all of our luck is out," he growled. "I appreciate what you tried to do, but the Clan needs to be fed first. You two should know that! Any warrior ought to be thinking of the whole of the Clan in times like these, not thinking only of themselves. That sort of mentality can lead to a Clan in chaos!"

Tinyclaw flinched at his words.

"I am disappointed," rumbled Tigerstar. "In the both of you."

Tinyclaw flattened his ears, feeling struck by his leader's harshness. Tinyclaw understood it, of course – the Clan needed to be fed first. It was part of the warrior code! But knowing that Tigerstar was upset with him was painful, especially since Tigerstar had already placed so much trust and faith in Tinyclaw before.

 _Oh, I would tell you the truth,_ he thought plaintively. _But I can't. Not without sufficient proof._ There was no way Tigerstar would believe the rockfall story without it.

"We're sorry, Tigerstar," Tinyclaw offered solemnly.

Tigerstar grumbled, " 'Sorry' fills no bellies, Tinyclaw." Louder, he meowed, "I have no choice but to punish you – apparently it's difficult for you to understand that the Clan must come first. Until the next sunrise, you two will hunt for the Clan and not yourselves. Only when the whole of the Clan has eaten may you take fresh-kill from the pile. Is that understood?"

Tinyclaw and Graystripe had no choice but to nod in confirmation. _I suppose it's what we deserve,_ Tinyclaw thought grimly.

Tigerstar sighed, and his eyes softened. "Now, you two look tired. Please, get some rest. I expect to see you out hunting before sunhigh."

"Of course, Tigerstar," Tinyclaw meowed. He bowed his head before he and Graystripe ducked out of the den, tails low.

Once outside, the two turned themselves towards the warrior's den. On the way, Graystripe sighed, "Great StarClan, I thought Tigerstar was going to have our ears!"

Tinyclaw nodded in agreement.

"Count yourselves lucky," growled a voice.

Tinyclaw saw a flash of dark movement out of the corner of his eye. A dark shape detached itself from the Highrock and flowed over to them like a shadow – Darkstripe. Tinyclaw curled his lip preemptively as the dark warrior approached.

"What do _you_ want?" Tinyclaw growled.

Darkstripe narrowed his pale eyes. "If it were me, I'd have punished you properly," he growled.

Tinyclaw spat, "You couldn't punish a flea for biting your rear, Darkstripe!"

Darkstripe curled a lip, exposing his teeth. Tinyclaw stepped forward at the challenge, but Graystripe pushed between them.

"Stop this, both of you!" he hissed. "It's leaf-bare – is this really worth it?"

Darkstripe stepped back and turned around towards the warrior's den. "Slink away, kittypet," he hissed over his shoulder. "I saw you at the WindClan battle, don't forget. One word from me and Tigerstar won't be trusting you for long."

Tinyclaw narrowed his eyes as Darkstripe slipped into the darkness. Only when the striped tip of the dark warrior's tail disappeared did Tinyclaw roll back onto his paws and sheathe his claws. Before him, Graystripe lashed his tail.

"You have to be the stupidest cat I've ever met!" Graystripe cursed. "What use is there in winding Darkstripe up like that?"

"Hey; I didn't ask to be involved in any of this," Tinyclaw hissed back, lashing his tail. "Darkstripe is the one working for Bluefur – at least he's all bluster and no bite."

"Well, stop trying to provoke him," Graystripe sighed. He nudged Tinyclaw and added, "If you keep tweaking his tail, that might change."

Graystripe and Tinyclaw slipped into the warrior's den, grateful as warmth seeped over their fur. Graystripe huddled in his nest, sleeping quickly, while Tinyclaw circled several times before laying down. He settled his head on his paws and sighed.

"Hey."

Tinyclaw twitched an ear and looked to the side. Sandstorm had lifted her head from where she laid beside Dustpelt. She tipped her head and meowed, "You OK? I thought I heard arguing. Darkstripe came in her mumbling like some bee had stung his tail."

Swallowing, Tinyclaw staring into those lovely green eyes. He longed to tell Sandstorm the truth, but there were too many ears and Darkstripe was not far away. Tinyclaw swept his tail over his nose and muttered, "I'm sorry, Sandstorm – I'm tired. We… We can talk later."

Tinyclaw was shocked when he didn't hear a hiss of annoyance from her. Instead, warmth flooded over him as Sandstorm was suddenly by his side, winding around him. Warmth flooded Tinyclaw's pelt as Sandstorm settled with her side pressed against his and a soft purr in her throat.

He lifted his head, just to see if it was true – and there she saw, pale and lovely and lying next to him. Tinyclaw purred himself before settling his head down, his heart warm.

Before he closed his eyes to sink into that warm bliss, he caught Dustpelt lifting his head in the gloom. The brown tabby warrior saw he and Sandstorm through narrowed eyes. Dustpelt hissed and pointedly turned his back.

Tinyclaw didn't even care – he could wake up with Dustpelt's and Darkstripe's claws aimed at his throat but he would sleep easy with Sandstorm by his side.

* * *

Tinyclaw's paws danced along the hunting tail. It was one he knew well, like the pattern of his coat. His body was full of energy and warmth, and his tail flicked from side to side as he opened his jaws to taste the air. The smell of flowers and growth was in the air, but none of it clouded his senses. He knew he was dreaming, but his hunger felt real.

The icy leaf-bare seemed nine lives away as he padded along. Every leaf and blade of grass seemed to glow with life and light, and the air was healthy with birdsong. Newleaf was here to stay and the only evidence of leaf-bare were in the cold puddles nestled between root and in little gullies.

Tinyclaw began heading upwards with the path as it began to incline – but his paws halted as another cat stepped out of the trees and onto the path.

"Redtail!" Tinyclaw breathed.

The former ThunderClan deputy was not an unfamiliar sight – the warrior had visited Tinyclaw in dreams before. Redtail had been viciously murdered by Bluefur in the hopes that she might take over the Clan. His death had been unjust and wrong and Tinyclaw knew Redtail's spirit was going to help Tinyclaw bring Bluefur to justice.

Redtail lifted his distinctively red tail in acknowledgement – and as a signal for Tinyclaw to follow. The small tom took off across the path and through the trees. Tinyclaw started in shock and brought his paws to life to follow the dappled tom.

Tinyclaw followed Redtail through the trees and up a slope – Redtail stopped at the crest of the hill. When Tinyclaw caught up, breathless but feeling fine, Redtail flicked his tail.

"Look," Redtail meowed.

Tinyclaw followed the flick of his tail. Down the slope was… water. Tinyclaw's eyes widened in shock. Where there ought to have been ground for leagues there was a shimmering, shining expanse of water, still and cold. Trees and other debris poked up from the water, and it reflected perfectly the sunny sky above.

 _Water…_ he thought. _Where did it all come from?_

Redtail moved close. His breath was on Tinyclaw's ear as he warned, "Remember, Tinyclaw – remember the danger of water."

Tinyclaw turned to look at the tortoiseshell tom. "What do you mean?" he asked.

Redtail blinked and repeated, "Remember the danger of water."

And suddenly Redtail and the hill were gone and Tinyclaw was plunged deep, deep into the water below. Bubbles escaped his mouth as he sank down into darkness. He scrabbled with his paws to break the surface, but the weight of the water dragged him down into the nothingness.

* * *

"Tinyclaw! Wake up!"

Tinyclaw opened his eyes in shock to Graystripe's voice. The world was warm and cold all around, and he was back in the warrior's den and not drowning in his dreams. His pelt felt light again, unencumbered by water. Graystripe was crouched before him.

"It's nearly sunhigh, Tinyclaw," the gray tom offered, his yellow eyes wide. "Are you all right?"

Tinyclaw caught his breath. "I'm fine," he insisted. "Just… a bad dream."

"Well…" Graystripe looked befuddled. "It's almost sunhigh – we need to get out there and hunt."

Tinyclaw nodded. "I know," he meowed. He was still having trouble coming out of his dream. "Meet me outside, OK? I'll be out in a heartbeat."

Graystripe shrugged, nodded, and then left the den and padded off, leaving Tinyclaw in the den, mostly alone.

Tinyclaw took a deep breath, allowing real smells to comfort him. Redtail's warning echoed in his mind – _remember the danger of water_ – over and over and over, and Tinyclaw clawed to find some meaning. Was water going to flood the camp? Was it real, physical water, or something else?

 _Spottedleaf told me that the smallest cat could save the Clans,_ Tinyclaw thought. _She said it like it was directed at me, and Redtail… now Redtail is telling me water is dangerous? I'm so confused – do they have anything to do with one another?_

Tinyclaw shook his head and stepped outside, into the cold. The air was damp and Tinyclaw felt his thoughts over his head like thunderclouds. Something was coming – was Redtail's warning prophesizing some sort of watery doom for ThunderClan?


	6. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

 _The snow was crisp under_ his paws as Tinyclaw scrambled up the ravine. The sky was pale blue with a bright sun, though hardly any warmth came from its light. Leaf-bare still had the forest in its grip for now – but the brightness of the sun made Tinyclaw hopeful that newleaf was not far off.

Behind him, Graystripe huffed, "Maybe the sun will bring some prey out?"

"Hope so," Tinyclaw replied. They had a lot of hunting to do if they were going to make up for their blunder. Tigerstar's fury was legendary, and the fresh-kill pile back at camp was dangerously low. Tinyclaw wanted to get as much as possible.

"If he keeps stomping like an angry badger, all the prey will go into their holes!" scoffed Sandstorm. Her pale shape rocketed past Graystripe with ease and joined Tinyclaw at the top of the ravine. She looked down at Graystripe and teased, "His yowling will frighten it all!"

"Hey!" growled Cinderpaw, fur fluffed in offense behind Graystripe, "He doesn't _stomp!"_

"Yeah!" Graystripe agreed, finally making it to the top. He shook the snow from his fur and went on, "I lollop as gracefully as a rabbit!"

Sandstorm's whiskers twitched, and Tinyclaw purred in amusement. Cinderpaw joined them at the top of the ravine, and the four cats set out into the forest. Tigerstar may have ordered Tinyclaw and Graystripe to hunt, but he had never ordered them to hunt alone – Tinyclaw was more than glad for the company.

Tinyclaw watched Sandstorm trot on ahead, intent on looking for prey. Tinyclaw raised a paw to follow, but he knew that Sandstorm hunted better alone. She would be better off without him. Tinyclaw opened his jaws to ask Graystripe to look around with him, but the words caught in his throat. Graystripe was rooting about with Cinderpaw, looking for mice.

A pang of loss and loneliness hit Tinyclaw hard. He missed training with Brackenpaw, his own apprentice – but since he had been injured on the Thunderpath, Tinyclaw wasn't sure if he'd ever be able to come back to training. Brackenpaw was huddled up with Yellowfang in her den, serving as her temporary assistant.

Tinyclaw pushed the thoughts away – they were too heavy for hunting. He opened his jaws and followed a promising trail through the undergrowth, away from both Graystripe and Sandstorm. A few fox-lengths away, the bristling snow twitched. Tinyclaw lifted his head.

Rabbit!

Tinyclaw dropped into a low crouch, aware that his black pelt would make it harder for him to sneak up on his prey unless it mistook him for a dead branch. He kept his tail low and still, pulling himself forward on his paws. At the last moment the rabbit raised its ears and head – but it was too late. Tinyclaw sprang and finished it off before it could squeal.

Lifting the rabbit in his jaws, he felt an ache in his neck at its weight. He smiled to himself as best as he could. _It's a good start…_

* * *

Tinyclaw dragged his rabbit into camp last, Sandstorm and the others having already entered camp with their smaller catches. The rabbit dragged at Tinyclaw's muscles and made him wish he'd gone for something smaller, like Graystripe's mice – but when he saw the glow of approval on Tigerstar's face, Tinyclaw lifted his head proudly.

Beside Tigerstar, the fresh-kill pile was swelling from the day's hunting. The massive tabby watched Sandstorm, Graystripe, and Cinderpaw deposit their mix of mice, shrews, and birds onto the top and nodded to each of them as they passed. He was obviously proud.

Tinyclaw set his rabbit down at the top, grateful for the chance to give his jaws a break. As he was stretching his jaws, Tigerstar approached.

"A fine catch," he mused.

Tinyclaw nodded in reply. "Thank you."

Tigerstar's eyes sparkled with amusement. "I'd hate to ask, but could you take that rabbit to Yellowfang? She hasn't been out to eat yet."

Tinyclaw swallowed. Though Tigerstar's approval warmed his pelt, his jaws ached at the thought of dragging around that rabbit again. Still, without protest, he grabbed it back into his jaws and headed for the medicine cat's den, ignoring Tigerstar's rusty purr as he passed.

 _I suppose I deserve this,_ he thought as he stepped into the medicine cat's den. It was a lovely well-shaded part of the clearing, so it was kept safe from most of the snow. A tall rock rose from the center, split into a secret cave for Yellowfang. It was warm and musty inside, the smell of herbs drifting through the air.

Tinyclaw passed under the curtain of ferns and headed for Yellowfang and Brackenpaw. The old medicine cat was lying on the mossy floor of the little clearing, paws tucked under her chest. Brackenpaw was a pace before her, sitting awkwardly because of his injured leg. His gaze was focused on Yellowfang.

"One-eye's pads are cracked because of the cold," Yellowfang rasped, her orange eyes focused on Brackenpaw intently. "What's the best solution?"

Brackenpaw's tail twitched, and he replied, "Marigold leaves in case of infection, and ointment of yarrow to soften the pads. Poppy seeds if she's in pain, but not too many."

Yellowfang's eyes sparkled. "Well done," she purred.

Brackenpaw ducked a little at the praise, shuffling his paws in embarrassment.

"Right," Yellowfang grunted. "You can take her the leaves and ointment, and come back for the seeds if the cuts are bad. You need to stretch your leg a little – it looks stiff."

"Feels stiff," Brackenpaw agreed. "I'll get on it."

He stood awkwardly, and Tinyclaw winced in pain at the sight of him. Brackenpaw turned towards the den, and caught sight of Tinyclaw. He let out a mewl of greeting, his ears pricked enthusiastically.

"Tinyclaw!" he called. Tinyclaw raised his tail, and Brackenpaw's eyes flickered to the rabbit. "Is that for us?"

Tinyclaw nodded.

"About time!" Yellowfang grunted. "I'm starving."

Tinyclaw was grateful to drop the rabbit at Yellowfang's paws. Yellowfang pulled it over to her and trapped it between her paws, looking at it appreciatively.

"Busy morning?" Tinyclaw guessed.

"Like you wouldn't _believe,"_ Yellowfang complained, rolling her eyes. She pressed at the rabbit with a paw and meowed, "I've had every other cat in the Clan in here, complaining about some ache or another. This rabbit looks like it's got a little flesh on its bones for once!"

"Save some for me!" Brackenpaw called from inside the den.

"Get back here quick enough and there might be something," Yellowfang joked back.

Brackenpaw let out an irritated hiss and hobbled out of the den, leaves stuffed in his mouth. Tinyclaw watched him waddle out of the den with pain twisting in his stomach at how painful it looked for Brackenpaw to walk. When Brackenpaw was gone, Tinyclaw turned to Yellowfang.

"Is he doing all right?" he asked, concerned.

"He's fine!" Yellowfang snapped. "Stop worrying about him."

Tinyclaw sighed. "Sorry," he mumbled. He wished he _could_ stop worrying about Brackenpaw. The poor young cat might never be a warrior, all thanks to an accident on the Thunderpath – all because Tinyclaw couldn't stop him and his sister from leaving the camp. Brackenpaw saved his sister, but he might have lost his future.

 _It's all Bluefur's fault, really,_ he thought. _I couldn't stop the apprentices from leaving, but it was Bluefur that set the trap up for Tigerstar._ Too few warriors had been left in camp to protect it, and Tigerstar had been ill – Tinyclaw had been the only spare cat. Bluefur had laid her trail close to the Thunderpath's edge, and it all seemed _too_ convenient – she had been trying to murder Tigerstar, and Tinyclaw knew it.

Yellowfang's wistful sigh brought Tinyclaw out his thoughts.

"What is it?" Tinyclaw wondered.

"I… I just…" Yellowfang trailed off. She collected herself a moment later and replied, "Brackenpaw's leg is as healed as it's going to get. I can't keep him here."

Tinyclaw frowned. "So what are his options?"

"Few," Yellowfang replied. "He could stay in the elder's den for the rest of his life; he could try training as a warrior again… or…"

"Or?"

"Or he could become my apprentice," Yellowfang finished.

Tinyclaw's ears pricked. "Your apprentice?"

Yellowfang hissed, "Yes, my apprentice! What, did you think medicine cats just fell from the sky? No; we're trained, just like any warrior!"

Tinyclaw flatted his ears. "Sorry," he offered meekly. "It just… sounded strange, that's all."

Yellowfang rolled her eyes. "Sometimes I forget that you were a kittypet," she sighed.

Tinyclaw frowned, and then asked, "Have you asked him what he wants to do?"

She shook her head. "I'd planned to bring it up today, with Tigerstar," she rasped. "He did so well helping me with Bluefur and her kits… he'd make a good medicine cat."

"Is that what you want?" Tinyclaw wondered.

"Yes," Yellowfang admitted. "But in the end, it's up to him – I can't begrudge him for making his choice."

"Should I talk to him?"

"No," Yellowfang insisted. "Brackenpaw needs to make this choice on his own. No one should influence him."

Tinyclaw nodded in agreement. "I should be going, then," he decided. "Lots more hunting to do."

Yellowfang nodded to herself, lost in thought. "I'll let you know what he decides," she told him.

Tinyclaw backed away and headed out of the den. _All this turmoil because of Bluefur,_ he thought, anger welling in him. _First Redtail, then Ravenpaw, and now it's poor Brackenpaw who's suffering._ Determination was in every pawstep.

 _I_ have _to stop her!_

* * *

The day after their hunting punishment, Tinyclaw and Graystripe lay crouched in a bed of reeds. Tinyclaw's conversation with Yellowfang and the thoughts following had made him decide that there was no time to waste – they needed to find out what really happened in the battle at Sunningrocks. So here they were, looking out at the frozen river, two paw steps from RiverClan territory.

Graystripe sniffed the air, able to more easily discern scents. "A patrol just went by," he reported. "We'll be safe to cross."

Tinyclaw blinked at the certainty in Graystripe's voice. He was aware of just how much trust he was placing in his friend now, and his knowledge of sneaking into other territories. _I'd rather be caught by a RiverClan patrol than deal with Oakheart or Whitestorm catching us._ If they got caught breaking the warrior code a second time they would be crow-food.

"All right," Tinyclaw meowed quietly. "Let's go."

Graystripe nodded and led the way through the reeds and out onto the ice. Tinyclaw tipped his head at how confidently Graystripe strode across the ice, his heavy body low to make sure his weight was spread evenly. Tinyclaw copied Graystripe to the best of his ability – being smaller made the balancing a little more awkward.

Tinyclaw's fur prickled at the thought of the water swallowing him up, the ice crunching and giving way beneath him. His dream and Redtail's warning flashed in his mind – _beware the water._ What if he fell and drowned here?

Before he knew it, Tinyclaw was on the other side, standing beside Graystripe. The gray warrior was stiff with fear.

"I must be mouse-brained," Graystripe hissed. "You made me promise to meet Silverstream only at Fourtrees so we _wouldn't_ be caught… and now, here we are!"

"This is necessary," Tinyclaw reminded him. "But, I'm sorry anyway."

"Yeah, yeah," Graystripe sighed. "The things I do for friends."

Graystripe opened his jaws, and then led the way into another bed of reeds. Tinyclaw followed, feeling like a kittypet again – being led into a strange place, surrounded by unfamiliar scents. For a moment, Tinyclaw wondered what things would be like if he'd joined RiverClan instead of ThunderClan, but that wasn't something to dwell on now.

"How far?" Tinyclaw wondered.

"Not far," Graystripe promised. He flicked his tail and meowed, "There's an island up ahead, surrounded by reeds and willow trees. See it?"

Tinyclaw poked his head above the reeds. There, not far off, was a tangle of reeds that seemed like a natural wall. Huge willow trees, their branches sheltering the area like a screen of lichen, grew here and there. Tinyclaw imagined that in newleaf this area would be well-protected by nature.

"Do they swim across?" Tinyclaw wondered, seeing the ice crawling up the reeds and willow branches.

Graystripe shook his head. "No," he replied. "Silverstream says the water is really shallow. It's no problem to just pad across."

Tinyclaw frowned, glad that he didn't have to get his feet wet just to get into camp.

They kept going. RiverClan territory was a little like WindClan's, but with more vegetation. Flat plains of nothingness stretched almost as far as they eye could see, with only a few spurts of reeds, hawthorn bushes, and willow trees growing here and there. It didn't seem like there was much room for land-based prey.

Graystripe led them up a slope and around the camp, keeping a good distance from the RiverClan cats but getting a good view of them at the same time. From this angle Tinyclaw could practically see into their camp. They settled here, having a good view of the camp and its entrance – a tiny gap in the reeds.

Tinyclaw did his best to peer into the camp. It didn't seem like any cat could see them, and he couldn't identify any cats he knew – but they were moving about, just like ThunderClan cats. Their daily life was so startlingly similar it shocked Tinyclaw. He'd expected something much, much different.

He was so intent on watching the cats in the camp that he didn't notice a tabby she-cat until she was a tail-length away. Tinyclaw froze – but the she-cat had a large squirrel in her jaws. She didn't seem to be able to notice them, and she passed by without incident. Tinyclaw didn't relax until she was in her camp.

"Calm down," Graystripe meowed.

"Easy for you to say!" Tinyclaw hissed, claws digging into the frozen earth. "You're half RiverClan yourself!"

Graystripe rolled his eyes.

Tinyclaw kept his eyes fixed on the camp entrance as it twitched. Leopardfur, the RiverClan deputy, stepped through – behind her strolled three other cats. Tinyclaw's eyes locked onto Leopardfur's dappled pelt as unease roiled in his belly. Leopardfur had no love for ThunderClan thanks to an encounter at the gorge where one of her warriors died. Leopardfur did not forgive easily.

"A patrol," Graystripe guessed.

Tinyclaw said nothing. He didn't dare to breathe until Leopardfur and her patrol set off in the opposite direction and were gone.

Almost immediately after, a familiar silver shape appeared.

Graystripe's ears pricked, and Tinyclaw craned his neck with interest. Unfortunately, Silverstream was not alone – the smoky warrior Blackclaw was with her, along with a smaller cat who seemed to be Blackclaw's apprentice.

"Hunting patrol," Graystripe guessed, disappointment in his voice.

Blackclaw led the patrol up the slope. Tinyclaw pressed himself to the ground, hissing in fear. Graystripe laid his tail along Tinyclaw's shoulders in a calming gesture, but Tinyclaw could see that Graystripe was just as worried. Blackclaw or his apprentice could scent them easily any moment now.

StarClan must have been on their side. As the patrol approached the bushes, Silverstream's nose twitched and her head rose. Graystripe let out a quiet hiss, and Silverstream stood stock-still. Her ear swiveled in Graystripe's direction.

"Silverstream!" Graystripe called softly.

"Blackclaw!" Silverstream called. "I'll try for a mouse in the bushes here. Don't wait up!"

Blackclaw let out a mewl of agreement and went on ahead, veering away from the bushes. Tinyclaw breathed in relief as Silverstream pushed her way into the reeds and thrust her muzzle towards Graystripe. The two rubbed muzzles and purred.

"I thought you only wanted to meet at Fourtrees!" Silverstream meowed, pulling away. "What's going on?"

"I brought Tinyclaw," Graystripe answered. "He needs to ask you something important."

Silverstream's eyes flashed. Tinyclaw guessed that she was recalling the battle in the WindClan camp, where Tinyclaw had let her escape instead of shredding her in a furious rampage. She swallowed, then dipped her head. "What is it you want?"

"I need to know what happened at the battle for Sunningrocks," Tinyclaw told her. "The one where Swiftclaw died. Where you there?"

Silverstream shook her head. "Sorry, no," she replied. Her eyes narrowed thoughtfully. "Is this… important?"

"Yes, very," Tinyclaw replied emphatically. "Could you maybe ask someone who was there? This is -"

Silverstream cut him off. "I'll do you one better," she decided. "I'll bring Tawnypelt herself."

Tinyclaw's fur rose, and he glanced at Graystripe. Graystripe shrugged, looking just as alarmed.

"It's OK," Silverstream assured them. "Tawnypelt knows about Graystripe and I. She doesn't like it, but she wouldn't tell a soul. She won't give me away, and she'll come if I ask her. We've been friends since I was a kit!"

Tinyclaw hesitated, but realized that it was either risk talking to Tawnypelt, or go home with no answers at all. He decided, "Go ahead. Thank you."

Silverstream nodded and slid out of the bushes. Tinyclaw watched her trot towards her camp, slipping through the entrance like a fish. Tinyclaw sighed – his nerves were more frayed than a kit-scratched bit of bark, and he didn't know how long he could manage sitting here.

"Isn't she the _best?"_ Graystripe sighed wistfully.

Tinyclaw resisted the urge to jokingly gag.

They settled back down to wait, backing a little further into the bushes. Every moment that passed, Tinyclaw sank his claws a little further into the cold soil. His limbs were shaking, and he couldn't control the lashing of his tail.

He was about to decide that Silverstream wasn't coming when the camp entrance twitched and her silver shape slid out again. This time, she was followed by a mottled gray-and-ginger she-cat. Tinyclaw kept himself low, but narrowed his eyes through the reeds, tracking Silverstream and Tawnypelt as they trekked up the hill and into the bushes.

When Tawnypelt sighted Graystripe and Tinyclaw she stiffened, the fur rising along her spine and broad shoulders. Tinyclaw frowned. What if the queen decided to betray them?

"Tawnypelt," Silverstream began, "These are -"

"ThunderClan!" Tawnypelt hissed. "Yes, Silverstream – I can smell them! What are they doing on our territory?"

"T-Tawnypelt!" Silverstream blurted, flustered. "Please!"

Tawnypelt shook her head in frustration. She lashed her tail at Graystripe. "I'll keep your secret about _him,"_ she growled. "But if you start bringing every warrior in ThunderClan here I'm afraid I'll have to start talking!"

Silverstream rolled her eyes. "Don't be ridiculous, Tawnypelt," she sighed.

"Tawnypelt," Tinyclaw offered, heart beating in his ears, "we haven't taken any prey, and we aren't here to spy. We just need to speak to a cat who fought at Sunningrocks, in the battle where Swiftclaw died."

Tawnypelt narrowed her eyes. "Why?" she asked, her voice low.

"It's… difficult to explain," Tinyclaw insisted, hoping his lame excuse would be enough, "but I swear to StarClan that it's nothing that will affect RiverClan."

"By StarClan, eh?" Tawnypelt breathed. The queen unbent her spine, but her eyes remained judgmentally narrowed. "We'll see."

Graystripe's eyes flickered between Tinyclaw and Tawnypelt. He coughed, then meowed, "If… you two are going to be talking, Silverstream and I will leave you to it."

Tinyclaw opened his jaws to protest – was Graystripe really going to leave him alone with Tawnypelt in enemy territory? – but Graystripe and Silverstream were already gone, heading through the reeds with tails twined together and purrs in the air.

Tawnypelt saw this too and rolled her green eyes. "That poor cat is going to get herself into trouble with him, I just know it," she sighed.

Tinyclaw grunted in agreement.

Tawnypelt settled herself down in the reeds, tucking her paws underneath her. "I suppose I ought to tell you," she began, "before you leave, try and find something stinky to roll in. Fox dung works well."

Tinyclaw curled his lip.

"Your denmates might not thank you," Tawnypelt added, "but it works." Her tail flicked. "You're Tinyclaw, yes? I've seen you at Gatherings."

"Yes," Tinyclaw replied.

Tawnypelt looked him over, green eyes sparkling. "Fitting name," she decided. "You used to be a kittypet, they say." It was a question veiled as a statement.

"Yes," Tinyclaw repeated. "I'm a warrior now."

Tawnypelt studied his face for a long moment, her eyes piercing. Then, she asked, "Well… I'm here. I was at the battle. Ask away."

Tinyclaw frowned, pulling all this thoughts together. He would only have one chance for this, and making a mistake wasn't an option.

"Come on, Tinyclaw," Tawnypelt sighed. "I left my kits to see you."

"It won't take long," Tinyclaw insisted. "What can you tell me about the way Swiftclaw died?"

"Swiftclaw?" Tawnypelt's eyes widened. She took a deep breath. "Swiftclaw was my brother – did you know that?"

Tinyclaw shook his head. "I'm sorry," he meowed. "I never met him, but I heard he was a brave warrior."

"He was the best and the bravest," Tawnypelt offered wistfully. "My brother Brambleclaw and I looked up to him. He never should have died – it was an accident."

"An accident?" Tinyclaw's ears pricked. "Are you sure?"

Tawnypelt nodded. "He had been wounded in the battle, but not enough to kill him. When he didn't come back from the battle, we went looking for him and found his body under some rocks. Our medicine cat said that was what killed him."

"So no cat was responsible…" Tinyclaw murmured. "Ravenpaw was right!"

"Hm?" The tortoiseshell queen frowned.

"It's nothing," Tinyclaw said hastily. "Thank you, Tawnypelt. This is exactly what I wanted to know."

Tawnypelt tipped her head. "Then if that's all…"

"Wait!" Tinyclaw said suddenly. "There's one more thing – in the battle, one of our cats heard Swiftclaw say that no ThunderClan cat would harm Brambleclaw. Do you know what he meant?"

Tawnypelt narrowed her eyes in thought. Then, she shook her head. "That doesn't seem like Swiftclaw…"

"He was yours and Brambleclaw's brother," Tinyclaw guessed. "Maybe he wanted to protect you?"

Tawnypelt shook her head. She insisted, "No – he would never do anything like that. He always wanted us to be strong warriors, and he would never try to protect us from any one threat."

Tinyclaw tipped his head in confusion. "Then why…?"

"I don't know," Tawnypelt replied. The thought seemed to disturb her, and she dug her claws into the ground. She seemed genuinely puzzled.

Tinyclaw couldn't help but feel a little disappointed. Ravenpaw's comment about Swiftclaw saying such a thing had concerned him. Though Tinyclaw knew now how Swiftclaw had really died, he had a feeling that this was another piece of the puzzle somehow.

"My mother might know," Tawnypelt decided suddenly, breaking Tinyclaw out from his thoughts. "Goldenflower – Swiftclaw was from her first litter. If she can't explain it, no one can."

"Could you ask her?" For some reason, this seemed important. Tinyclaw could feel it in his bones.

"Maybe," Tawnypelt mused, "but it might be better for you to talk to her yourself." She seemed just as intrigued about this mystery as Tinyclaw, if not more so.

Tinyclaw was shocked – Tawnypelt had seemed so guarded and hostile before. Because of this mystery, was she really going to let Tinyclaw talk to her mother? "Right now?" he wondered.

Tawnypelt shook her head. "No," she meowed, "not now. Leopardfur's patrol will be back soon, and it's too risky for you to stay any longer. Besides, Goldenflower is an elder – her hips aren't what they used to be. She'll need a warm day and a little persuading before she'll come out of camp."

Tinyclaw bowed his head in understanding. He was willing to do whatever it took to unravel this mystery, but he had to acknowledge that, as an elder, Goldenflower had hit her limits. Even though every part of him wanted to speak with her right now, he knew Tawnypelt was right. "How will I know where to meet her?"

"I'll send a message with Silverstream," Tawnypelt promised. "Now go – if Leopardfur finds you here, I won't be able to help you."

Tinyclaw wished there was some way he could appropriately thank the queen for being so forthcoming and risking herself like this – but Tinyclaw feared he might leave with a clawed ear. Though she had let go of the majority of her hostility, Tawnypelt was not about to let him forget that they were of different Clans.

 _She's a fierce cat,_ he thought, _lovely and strong. Whomever is her mate is very, very lucky._ She reminded him of Sandstorm, and Tinyclaw was happy that he had no desire to look for a mate outside his Clan.

"I won't forget this," Tinyclaw offered. "If there's anything I can do for you -"

"Just _go,"_ Tawnypelt hissed, baring her teeth.

Tinyclaw jumped in shock and got to his paws. He began heading out of the bushes and towards his own territory. Tawnypelt's amused voice followed him: "Don't forget the fox dung!"


	7. Chapter 5

**I have all the books, actually, aside from Dawn of the Clans and a few (unimportant) others. I've had them for a long time, so all of them have their original covers.**

 **I keep whatever book I'm working on nearby and use it to work on a chapter-to-chapter basis. Helps keep the events in order! But if I need to look ahead a little in order to work towards something, I either go through the book or look online. I'm not doing all this off the top of my head!**

 **Sorry for such a large gap in updates! It might happen from time to time - I'm busy.**

* * *

 **Chapter 5**

" _Ugh," Tinyclaw lamented. "I can't_ believe I'm actually doing this."

He had found some fresh fox-dung in the forest, despite all his hopes for the contrary. Reluctantly taking Tawnypelt's advice, he leaped right in and rubbed as much of it as he could onto his pelt to cover up the scent of RiverClan. No cat would know he'd gone outside his own territory, but perhaps they might not be too keen to let him into the warrior's den tonight.

Tinyclaw pushed his way into the camp. _It was worth it, I guess,_ he decided. The information he'd gotten thanks to Tawnypelt outweighed the stench of fox dung. He hoped the squirrel in his jaws would make up for his absence.

No cat seemed to notice him, however – they were all gathered beneath the Highrock. Tinyclaw blinked in surprise – he must have just missed Tigerstar's call.

Tinyclaw quickly put his squirrel on the pile and headed for the meeting, wondering what it was about. Across the clearing, Tinyclaw spotted Brindleface padding out of the nursery. Her three kits spilled out behind her – two gray like their mother, and one uncharacteristically white-and-ginger. Tinyclaw's niece, Cloudkit, seemed to be fitting in well with the Clan.

 _I'll have to tell Fiona sometime,_ he thought. His brother's mate had been wonderstruck by Clan life, and she and Rusty had agreed to let their firstborn daughter live amongst the Clans in the forest. Despite a rocky start, Cloudkit seemed to be doing well. Brindleface loved her no different than her own kits, and that was enough to wipe away the looks some of Tinyclaw's Clanmates still gave her.

Tinyclaw drew closer. His ear twitched as Cloudkit mewled, "Why can't _I_ be an apprentice? I'm just as big and smart as Frostfur's kits!"

"Hush," Brindleface mewed back. She drew her kits together with her tail. "It will be your turn soon, little one; but for now let's watch."

"But I want to be an apprentice _now!"_ Cloudkit insisted.

Brindleface's whiskers twitched. Tinyclaw sighed, wondering if his headstrong niece would ever learn Clan ways. If anyone could teach her, though, it was Brindleface. In the end, Cloudkit still respected her foster mother.

Tinyclaw turned his attention to the meeting. His whiskers twitched with interest – Frostfur's kits were finally well enough to become apprentices. Thornkit and Swiftkit had been captured by ShadowClan and then they'd caught a bad bout of greencough around the time their littermates Cinderpaw and Brackenpaw received their names.

He padded into the crowd, sheepishly flattening his ears as cats who caught his scent recoiled in shock. Tinyclaw settled himself near Sandstorm at the front of the crowd, very, very aware of the gap between himself and his other Clanmates.

"Tinyclaw!" admonished Sandstorm. Her nose wrinkled tight. "Where have you _been?"_

"It was an accident," Tinyclaw insisted, in his own defense. "I slid down some muck while chasing a shrew and landed in… _other_ muck." He didn't like lying to Sandstorm, of all cats, but the truth was no option. At least it was a believable lie.

 _I'm getting too good at lying,_ he told himself. _Soon, though, I won't need to lie any more._

"Well, stay away from me until it wears off!" Sandstorm insisted. Her mew was firm, but there was laughter in it. She scooted a few mouse-lengths away.

"And clean that stink off before you come into the den," growled a voice. Tinyclaw turned to find that, to his amusement, Darkstripe was sitting two tail-lengths behind him. The dark warrior's nose was wrinkled in disgust, and Tinyclaw had to contain his purr. "I'm not sleeping with that stink in my nose!"

 _Maybe I'll leave a bit of it in your nest, then,_ Tinyclaw thought.

Tigerstar began to speak, getting Tinyclaw's attention: "We have gathered here to give two kits their apprentice names. They have both waited patiently for this moment, and it is well-deserved." Tigerstar looked down at Frostfur, who sat near the front of the crowd with her two kits on either side of her.

Thornkit was the bigger of the two, colored golden-brown like his brother Brackenpaw. He leaped to his paws in excitement, eyes blazing up at Tigerstar. Swiftkit was the smaller one, his body structured more like Frostfur's. His pelt was white, patched with black and gray. He got to his paws, but was a little calmer about it.

"Yes," Tigerstar purred, "come forward, you two. You've waited long enough."

Thornkit led the way, with Swiftkit following more sedately. The smaller tom seemed almost nervous. Tinyclaw watched them enviously, remembering when he got Brackenpaw as his apprentice. Part of him wished he could mentor one of these kits – but if Tigerstar had chosen him for the honor, Tinyclaw would have known beforehand.

 _Maybe he'll never choose me again,_ Tinyclaw thought. His heart skipped a beat. _Because of what happened with Brackenpaw…_

"Mousefur," Tigerstar called, "you have told me that you're ready to take on an apprentice. You will be mentor to Thornpaw."

Mousefur stepped forward, out of the crowd. The wiry, compact she-cat padded forward and stood beside Thornpaw. The golden-brown tom seemed more than happy to meet her.

"Mousefur," Tigerstar meowed, "you are a brave, intelligent warrior. Pass on these qualities to your new apprentice."

"I will," Mousefur agreed. She bent her head and touched her nose to Thornpaw's. Then, the two retreated back into the crowd.

Swiftkit was left alone in the spotlight now, and the patched tom didn't look happy about it. He fidgeted on his paws, his whiskers quivering in anticipation – or nervousness.

"Whitestorm," Tigerstar called, "you are free to take on another apprentice, now that Sandstorm is a warrior. You will be mentor to Swiftpaw."

Whitestorm got to his paws, his white pelt glowing in the sun. He approached Swiftpaw, looking down at the apprentice with his sandy eyes. Swiftpaw looked up at Whitestorm, enraptured by the large warrior.

"Whitestorm," Tigerstar went on, "you are a brave warrior of skill and experience. I know you will pass on all you know to this apprentice."

"Of course," Whitestorm replied. "Welcome, Swiftpaw." He bent his head and touched his nose to Swiftpaw's. Whitestorm escorted the young tom back into the throng of cats.

Their names were called, and the warriors began grouping around the new apprentices to congratulate them. Tinyclaw stepped back, knowing he wouldn't be welcome in such a tight group – especially with the smell of fox-dung on his pelt. Tinyclaw caught sight of Graystripe at the back of the crowd; he must have returned unseen during the meeting.

Graystripe padded over to him. "It's all been arranged," he meowed quietly. "If it's sunny tomorrow, Silverstream and Tawnypelt will convince Goldenflower to leave camp for some exercise. They'll meet us at sunhigh."

"Where?" Tinyclaw wondered. It was too dangerous to go into RiverClan territory two days in a row – he didn't think his Clanmates would believe that he'd fallen into fox-dung twice. Leaving so much ThunderClan scent there was dangerous.

"There's a quiet place, where no cat really goes," Graystripe mewed back, "near the Twoleg bridge. It's where Silverstream and I used to meet before…"

Tinyclaw nodded in understanding. They'd been meeting there up until Tinyclaw insisted they move to Fourtrees, where their scents would more muddled. It was less suspicious than meeting at Fourtrees, he supposed. Goldenflower would be more likely to go along with it.

"Thank you," Tinyclaw told him. Since the battle with Sunningrocks, anything having to do with RiverClan was a great risk. Graystripe was already sticking his neck out just meeting Silverstream – doing this, though, was taking it a few steps further.

Still, as the two of them headed for the fresh-kill pile, Tinyclaw's paws itched. He couldn't wait to meet Goldenflower, to see what she knew of all these mysteries.

* * *

"Here we are," Graystripe mewed.

The two warriors were only a few hops over the RiverClan border, on the ThunderClan side of the river. The place was open and surrounded by little bushes, sheltered by willows and oaks. Tinyclaw imagined that it looked gorgeous in the warmer seasons.

Tinyclaw and Graystripe huddled beneath one of the bushes, in nests made of leaves. There they settled in to wait, staring at the frozen river. Tinyclaw placed his mouse – a gift for Goldenflower – at his paws. He pushed back his own hunger – he was already breaking the warrior code by doing this; there was no need to add to his conscience.

He swallowed. _I've taken a dangerous path, doing this,_ he thought. _Was it the right one?_

Sunhigh had come and gone, and Tinyclaw wondered if the RiverClan cats were even coming – and then, suddenly, RiverClan scent drifted down the river. A thin, elderly voice accompanied it.

"Oh, Tawnypelt," the voice complained, "this is too far for my old bones… I'm going to freeze!"

"Nonesense," hushed Tawnypelt. "It's a beautiful day, mother."

"The exercise will do you good," soothed Silverstream.

Tinyclaw heard a sigh of agreement in response. He lifted his head, looking down the river. Three cats came into view, picking their way down into the hollow. Silverstream was in the lead, with Tawnypelt escorting an elderly-looking golden tabby she-cat. Tinyclaw assumed this was Goldenflower.

She was lovely for her age. Though her fur was patchy and her muzzle was white, it was clear there was still life in her bones. Her muscles were strong and her body showed signs of battle. Her coat was shiny, like all RiverClan cat's – but she was skinny, and her bones showed through in places of stress.

Suddenly, Goldenflower stopped and raised her muzzle. "There are ThunderClan cats here!" she hissed.

Tawnypelt and Silverstream exchanged a worried glance. Then, Tawnypelt mewed soothingly, "Yes, I know. It's all right."

Goldeflower threw her daughter a suspicious look. "What do you mean?" she wondered, her voice low. "How are trespassers on our territory all right? What do you know of this?"

"They just want to talk to you," Tawnypelt explained. "Trust me, mother; they won't hurt you."

Goldenflower's eyes blazed, and for a moment Tinyclaw thought she might turn away yowling, raising alarm for other RiverClan cats in the area. But, Goldenflower's curiosity seemed to get the better of her. She continued down the slope to the bottom of the glade, sinking in the soft snow.

"Graystripe?" Silverstream called, softly.

"We're here," Graystripe replied. He stuck his head out of the bush.

Goldenflower's eyes burned into him. "Of course ThunderClan cats would be hiding in the bushes!" she scoffed. She followed as Tawnypelt and Silverstream led the way into the prickly shelter. Goldenflower was tense, every muscle poised to spring. Her pale eyes burned as she looked at Tinyclaw and Graystripe.

"These are Tinyclaw and Graystripe," Tawnypelt began, sweeping her tail over them. "They're here to -"

"Oh, there had better be a _good_ explanation for this, Tawnypelt," Goldenflower growled. "What are they doing here?"

"They're decent cats, Goldenflower," Tawnypelt insisted. "For ThunderClan, anyway; at least hear them out!"

Tinyclaw got to his paws. "We need to talk to you," he began. He pushed the mouse towards Goldenflower, hoping to appease her. "Please. I brought you this."

Goldenflower eyed the mouse, then pulled it over to her. "Well, at least you mind your manners," she sighed. She bent her head and took a large bite of the mouse. She made sure to chew and swallow before speaking again: "Stringy, but it'll do."

Tinyclaw tried to find the right words while Goldenflower was finishing up the mouse. There really was no subtle way to ask, so he ventured, "I need to ask you about something Swiftclaw said before he died."

Goldenflower's ears twitched, but she didn't look up at Tinyclaw.

"I heard what happened at the battle with Sunningrocks," Tinyclaw went on. "Before he died, Swiftclaw insisted that no ThunderClan cat could harm Brambleclaw. Do you know what he might have meant?"

Goldenflower said nothing until she had swallowed every last bit of the mouse. She lifted her head and began to wash, tending to her whiskers gently. Then, when she was clean, she got to her paws and looked Tinyclaw dead in the eyes. She stared at him for several long moments, and Tinyclaw wondered if she could somehow see everything he was thinking about.

"I think you should go," Goldenflower meowed, waving her tail at Tawnypelt and Silverstream. "Go on; out. You, too," she glanced at Graystripe. "Tinyclaw is the one that needs to know."

Graystripe got up, looking confused. Tinyclaw bit back his protest, only shrugging in response. If he insisted that Graystripe stay, Goldenflower might not speak to him at all. What was it she had to say that not even her own Clanmates could hear? Tinyclaw's tail trembled – there was a secret here, but he had no idea what it would have to do with ThunderClan.

Silverstream and Tawnypelt were just as confused, but they said nothing.

"We'll meet you at the Twoleg bridge," Silverstream offered.

"Don't bother," Goldenflower chuckled. "I'm not helpless; I can find my way home on my own."

Silverstream shrugged. She and Tawnypelt led the way out of the bushes, and Graystripe trailed after them.

Goldenflower waited until they were gone. Then, she settled down, curling her tail around her paws. She heaved a deep sigh. She did not speak until she seemed sure that they were alone.

"Tawnypelt told you that I'm her mother, yes?" Goldenflower meowed, "And Brambleclaw's, and Swiftclaw's?"

Tinyclaw nodded. "Yes," he replied.

Goldenflower looked into his eyes again. She heaved another sigh, and suddenly she looked so much older. Tinyclaw wondered what she was about to say that was affecting her so intensely.

"That is true," Goldenflower said. "I was their mother. But their father was not the same."

Tinyclaw's ears pricked. It was not uncommon for she-cats to mate with more than one cat, but it was usually due to extraneous circumstances.

"Swiftclaw's father was RiverClan," Goldenflower meowed. "But Tawnypelt's and Brambleclaw's… their father was ThunderClan."


	8. Chapter 6

**Sorry for the lack of updates! I've been working on planning a new story (a sort-of prequel to Celestial Winter, since while the story is pretty much dead I still want to work with the characters) and getting Blood of the Tiger's sequel ready to go, which will hopefully be up before the month is out.**

 **Anyway, here we go!**

* * *

 **Chapter 6**

" _W-What?" Tinyclaw's astonishment made his_ voice nothing but a squeak. He collected himself as best as he could. "You're saying that their father was _ThunderClan?"_

"Yes," Goldenflower mewed. She gave her chest fur a couple of brisk licks. "That's exactly what I'm saying."

Tinyclaw was stunned, struggling for something to say. Finally, all he could manage was, "But that's against the warrior code!"

Goldenflower rolled her eyes. "Yes, I know."

Tinyclaw shuffled his paws. "W-Who…?"

Goldenflower's eyes narrowed. "Don't bother asking – I'm not telling you. A queen can choose whether or not to reveal the father of her kits. No cat has any reason to ask – it's no one's business but the queen's," her tone was sharp. "Their father was a noble warrior. That's all you need to know."

"But you betrayed your Clan!" Tinyclaw burst. "How could you?"

Goldenflower frowned, her eyes still narrowed. "Love makes a cat do strange things, Tinyclaw – as I'm sure you're aware. I'm not the first she-cat to seek someone outside her Clan, and I'm not the last."

Tinyclaw frowned. She was right – Graystripe and Silverstream were sure proving her point. He swallowed. "Why, though?" he wondered. "Swiftclaw's father… was he mean?"

"No," Goldenflower replied, her eyes softening. "He was a kind cat. Awkward, but kind. A good warrior, too – always put the Clan first. But… he died during a conflict with WindClan, a season after Swiftclaw became a warrior. I was… distraught, to say the least.

"I met the ThunderClan tom around that time, at a Gathering. He expressed his sympathies, I accepted them. We'd spoken now and again, but nothing more than a few sentences. We were far from friends… Perhaps it was my grief trying to fill the hole left by Swiftclaw's father, but I just couldn't seem to get him off of my mind after that.

"We began meeting; once or twice a moon at first but it picked up… soon enough I discovered I was going to have kits." Goldenflower paused, her eyes flashing.

"What did you do?" Tinyclaw wondered.

Goldenflower frowned. "I broke things off," she said simply. "We had our fun, and now there were kits involved. There was no way I was going to let them suffer for my mistakes, so I broke things off with him before any cat began suspecting. I had my kits, and no one asked – I'm not certain even Swiftclaw knew."

"That must have been hard," Tinyclaw offered.

"It was," Goldenflower agreed, "but I got over it. Raising kits on your own… it's not so difficult. Tawnypelt and Brambleclaw got along just fine."

Tinyclaw shifted on his paws. Something about her story wasn't adding up. He meowed, "I… I think Swiftclaw _did_ know, Goldenflower."

"Oh?" Goldenflower mewed. "He never said anything to me."

"Remember? He mentioned that no ThunderClan cat would harm Brambleclaw," Tinyclaw pointed out. "Why would he say that, if not because of their parentage?"

Goldenflower's eyes flashed, and her whiskers twitched. "I see," she murmured. "Perhaps he did know, or at least suspect. I'd wondered if he'd hold it against me if he knew… that's why I didn't tell him."

She looked at Tinyclaw. "I suppose that answers your original question, though – Swiftclaw loved his siblings, even if he knew they came from a different father. I can't imagine that he'd coddle them… maybe he was just afraid of losing them."

"Perhaps," Tinyclaw breathed. "Those battles did get heated…"

Goldenflower remained silent a moment, as did Tinyclaw. He could see memories beyond counting passing behind her pale eyes, and Tinyclaw wondered if she was remembering her son and the ThunderClan cat she had loved.

 _I wonder who they were,_ he thought. He knew she wasn't telling him the whole truth. _I wonder if they're still alive, in ThunderClan._

"Do Tawnypelt and Brambleclaw know all this?" Tinyclaw wondered.

Goldenflower shook her head. "No," she answered, "and I don't expect them to find out any time soon." She gave Tinyclaw a long, hard look.

"I won't tell them," Tinyclaw told her. "I promise. I won't tell anyone else, either." _I doubt this has much to do with what happened to Redtail anyway; I don't think Tigerstar would like hearing about this. I'll only bring it up if I have to._

"Good, good," Goldenflower purred, nodding. "Is that all you asked of me? My joints are beginning to ache in this chill."

"Yes," Tinyclaw told her. He got to his paws. "I don't know what this means in relation to what I already know, but thank you. You've helped a great deal, and I'm sure this will benefit both our Clans."

Goldenflower flicked an ear. "That may be," she rasped, "but now that I'm done, you need to leave this territory."

"I will," Tinyclaw agreed. "And… thank you, again."

Goldenflower frowned. "Don't mention it."

* * *

Tinyclaw's head was spinning as he pushed through the thorn tunnel and into the camp. Brambleclaw and Tawnypelt were half ThunderClan! But they clearly had no idea of any of it, and other than looking a bit thinner than their Clanmates their fur was just as sleek as any RiverClan cat. Their loyalty was set.

 _Perhaps now that Tawnypelt has confirmed how Swiftclaw died, Tigerstar will believe me,_ Tinyclaw thought. He hadn't wanted to hear any of it before, since it implicated Redtail as a murderer. But now that Tinyclaw had proof that Swiftclaw's death was an accident, perhaps Tigerstar would open his eyes!

Hope filled his paws as Tinyclaw headed for the Highrock. There could be no more delaying – Bluefur was dangerous, even if she was lying in a nest nursing kits. She had killed Redtail and now Tigerstar _had_ to believe Tinyclaw!

"I'll try near Snakerocks," called a voice. Oakheart! Tinyclaw pressed himself to the shadows as the tabby warrior stepped out of Tigerstar's den. "No one's been there for some time."

"Good luck," came Tigerstar's rumble. "And be careful!"

"Of course," Oakheart replied. He padded off towards the warrior's den without acknowledging Tinyclaw hiding in the shadows.

Tinyclaw got to his paws and smirked with satisfaction. _Having a black pelt does come in handy!_ He padded up to the mouth of Tigerstar's den and announced himself. "Tigerstar, can we talk?"

"Of course," Tigerstar called back. "Come in."

Tinyclaw obeyed. The Highrock den was surprisingly warm, the air free of the smell of sickness. Tigerstar was sitting in his nest, paws tucked beneath his big, broad chest. Amber eyes focused on Tinyclaw as the small warrior settled down a fox-length from his leader.

"What is it?" Tigerstar asked.

Tinyclaw could not beat around the bush: "Remember when I told you about Ravenpaw's story? The one about Redtail and Swiftclaw at Sunningrocks?"

Tigerstar's eyes narrowed. "Yes," he rumbled, "and I remember telling you that the discussion was _over._ Too little proof, and Ravenpaw is a well-known exaggerator. Tinyclaw, if you've come to -"

"Please!" Tinyclaw insisted. "Hear me out, Tigerstar – I've found out something new!"

Tigerstar's whiskers twitched. "Very well," he meowed. "Proceed."

Tinyclaw's heart was pounding in his ears. _Don't mess this up, now…_ "No cat killed Swiftclaw – not Redtail, not Bluefur. It was an accident. Swiftclaw died because some loose rocks fell on him."

Tigerstar's eyes flashed, and he frowned. "How do you know this?" he asked.

Tinyclaw sighed. "I… I went to see Ravenpaw again, after the Gathering." He braced himself for a lashing, but Tigerstar remained where he was, his expression calm.

"Go on," he said.

"I had to find out the truth," Tinyclaw said quickly. "I -"

"A moment," Tigerstar offered, raising his tail. "Didn't Ravenpaw say that Redtail had killed Swiftclaw? Why is he changing his story now?"

"He was scared," Tinyclaw told him. "Worried. Not thinking straight. At the barn, he was calm and able to remember more – but he wasn't totally wrong." He took a breath. "Redtail may not have killed Swiftclaw outright, but he _was_ partly responsible for his death. Redtail drove Swiftclaw beneath the rocks that killed him - but Redtail didn't know about them; the rocks, I mean. That's what you couldn't believe, that Redtail killed another cat."

Tigerstar's ears twitched.

"I wanted to make sure the story was true," Tinyclaw went on. He took another big gulp of air. _Seeing Ravenpaw is one thing, but confessing to having seen RiverClan cats? That's another._ "So… I went across the river and spoke to a RiverClan cat, one who'd been at the battle… just to make sure. What she told me… she said it was true: Swiftclaw died from a rock fall."

He braced himself, preparing to face Tigerstar's legendary fury full-force. However, nothing happened. Tigerstar was still looking intently at Tinyclaw, his expression unreadable.

Tinyclaw swallowed. _He's listening,_ he thought. _He's really listening this time!_ He took a breath and went on, heart pounding in his ears, "Tigerstar, we know for a fact that Swiftclaw died from a rock fall. Bluefur said she killed him in revenge… but that's a lie! Isn't it possible that she could be lying about Redtail's death, too?"

He'd tried not to sound desperate, but he _needed_ him to understand. Tigerstar's whiskers twitched, and to Tinyclaw's shock the great cat began to look troubled. His eyes narrowed into slits. "Bluefur is a great deputy and warrior," he meowed carefully. "She's proven herself many times over. These are series charges, Tinyclaw."

Tinyclaw's ears shot up in shock. _He's considering it!_ "I know," he told Tigerstar. "She was my mentor, and I owe her a lot. But Tigerstar… can't you see how dangerous she is? How dangerous she could become?"

Tigerstar's eyes flashed, and he looked at his nest. He seemed to be thinking, and Tinyclaw couldn't help but feel ecstatic that he might actually be considering what Tinyclaw had said. The small tom felt like he was flying – finally, _finally,_ his story would he heard and listened to!

"There was another thing," Tinyclaw offered, "about two RiverClan warriors."

Tigerstar's head shot up at that, his ears pricked. Tinyclaw was walking on clouds as he meowed, "I'm not sure if it's related, but Ravenpaw told me that Swiftclaw had been very protective of a RiverClan warrior during the battle. He'd said that no ThunderClan cat would harm the warrior – which confused me to no end… until I had the chance to speak to one of the RiverClan elders.

"She said that two warriors, Tawnypelt and Brambleclaw, had a ThunderClan father," Tinyclaw told him. "Do… do you know anything about that? Who their father might be?"

Tigerstar stared at Tinyclaw for a long, long moment. Then, the huge warrior got to his paws. He spat, "You are a _fool!"_

Tinyclaw flinched. The sound of anger in Tigerstar's voice felt like falling to the ground from a high place. Tinyclaw took a step back as Tigerstar went on: "It's the middle of leaf-bare, and you have the time to waste listening to idle RiverClan gossip? The Clan is practically starving and you're gallivanting to and fro like borders mean nothing!"

"I…"

Tinyclaw's protest was drowned out by the leader's roar: "Go!" he snarled. "Go, and find something to do, something that befits a warrior! I never, _ever,_ want to hear anything like this again from you, understand?"

Swallowing, Tinyclaw offered, "I understand…"

"I had thought you'd learned better," Tigerstar snarled, curling back up in his nest. His striped back faced Tinyclaw. "But now I can see that there is still some kittypet to be worked out of you yet."

Shame and embarrassment flooded Tinyclaw, threatening to drown him as he turned away from his leader and out into the camp. His settled on his haunches just outside, his paws too heavy to carry him,

 _It had been going so well,_ Tinyclaw thought, reeling. _And then… I got swatted down like a mayfly._ He had risked so much gathering this information – what if Tigerstar begins wondering just how Tinyclaw had known who to talk to? What if he found out about Graystripe and Silverstream, and how they'd helped him?

What about Bluefur? If Tigerstar wasn't going to listen, who was going to stop her?

 _What have I done?_


	9. Chapter 7

**I know my summary is close to the canon one, but the other ones are too. If you look at a majority of the fanfics on this site dealing with secrets and whatnot you'll find similar summaries, I'm sure. I'm sorry if this isn't "creative" enough of me but I don't really have the time to think up another summary when I already spent a lot of time trying to find a way to make this one's different without it being spoilers. I've got too much to work on and this story is the easiest for me to write.**

 **I'm perfectly fine at making summaries for my stories – but these ones need to be that generic in order to hide the trove of changes that lie within. Sorry.**

 **I have thought through the backstories and whatnot for the changed characters and I know what's going to happen to the characters who didn't exist in canon. My only issue right now is figuring out Fernkit and Ashkit's genders and whether or not they ought to be changed** **; but that requires me to figure out if I'm going past the Original Series with this AU.**

 **I know what you mean by the previous two books not having many real changes other than little things, but this one is** _ **definitely**_ **going to deviate – in obvious and not-so-obvious ways. The lack of changes wasn't something I could really help, since adding stuff like that would completely jack up the pacing and progress – so I just added a bit more character development to certain characters and made relationships flow a bit better.**

 **This AU isn't a huge drastic AU like Blood of the Tiger is – I picked a point where things could have really turned on their heads with that one and rolled with it. Here I'm just rewriting the series in my own way to incorporate changes that I (and others in the fandom) wanted to see.**

 **On the topic of BoT, however, good news! The next, subtitled _Storm Front_ , will be released later this week!**

* * *

 **Chapter 7**

 _Tinyclaw made for the warrior's_ den, confused and incredibly unhappy. Yet when he reached the den, he stopped – he had no desire to deal with Darkstripe or Longtail, nor share tongues with his friends. He turned his paws away.

Unconsciously, his paws took him across the clearing and towards Yellowfang's den. He reached the ferny tunnel when Brackenpaw limped out. The two of them would have collided if Brackenpaw hadn't let out a warning hiss.

"Whoa!" Brackenpaw mewed, "Feeling all right, Tinyclaw?"

Tinyclaw lifted his head at the sound of his former apprentice's voice. Brackenpaw's eys were full of concern, and Tinyclaw breathed a sigh. For the first time since his accident on the Thunderpath, Brackenpaw looked and sounded like his old self – polite, with sleek fur and even eyes. Only his mangled leg damaged the picture.

 _You'd be coming out of the apprentice's den if it weren't for Bluefur,_ he thought, _and now Tigerstar won't hear another word because I got too cocky…_

"Did you hear me?" Brackenpaw wondered. "Are you feeling all right, Tinyclaw?"

Tinyclaw blinked out of his thoughts. "Sorry," he meowed. "A lot on my mind."

"Not sick, I hope?"

"No," Tinyclaw assured him. There was at least one part of him that felt fine. Tinyclaw saw Brackenpaw's paws twitch, and he asked, "What's the hurry?"

"Yellowfang wanted me to go looking for some herbs," Brackenpaw told him. "Her stocks are getting low, with so many cats coming in for one sneeze or another. She wanted me to see if there might be anything growing beneath all that snow."

"Is that possible?" Tinyclaw wondered. He thought the frosts killed all life in the forest.

Brackenpaw shrugged and meowed, "Yellowfang says that with the thaw being inevitably on its way, there ought to be something green poking up somewhere. 'Warmer weather's on the way,' she says, 'I can feel it in my fur.' So off I go."

"You mind if I tag along?" Tinyclaw asked. His paws needed something warrior-worthy to do, according to Tigerstar. Helping out Yellowfang was worthy, Tinyclaw figured.

"Not at all," Brackenpaw purred. His eyes sparkled, and Tinyclaw felt warm for the first time since coming out of Tigerstar's den.

Brackenpaw waved his tail and led the way through the slush towards the thorn tunnel. Tinyclaw followed, conscious of his pace. Brackenpaw might have been outgrowing his rather short mentor, but even with his spindly legs Brackenpaw still had to compensate for his injury. If Brackenpaw minded, though, he didn't show it.

The small voices of kits stopped the two of them just before they reached the tunnel. They both turned to look at the nursery as Brindleface stepped out, stretched, and sat herself down. Behind her came her three charges – Ashkit and Fernkit, her two by birth, and Cloudkit, her adopted daughter.

"Don't get into too much trouble!" Brindleface called. She settled herself down and began grooming. "And if you get cold, come back!"

"We will!" called Cloudkit.

Tinyclaw watched in admiration as his niece trotted confidently across the clearing, her foster littermates flanking her on either side. Her white, fluffy tail was stuck high in the air.

Admiration turned to worry, however, as the kits headed for Brokentail. The rogue had been given a nest just outside the elder's den, out of sight of the rest of the camp but within watch of the warrior's den – not that the villain could _see_ anything, anyway. He had lived there since Tigerstar had given the order to detain him, and had a constant warrior watch.

It was Longtail who was guarding the wretch today, and he looked positively bored of it, with eyes closed. One eye opened, however, when the kits approached. Longtail did nothing but watch as Cloudkit led her siblings around Brokentail.

"Look at him!" hissed Ashkit.

"So scary!" chuckled Fernkit.

Cloudkit's whiskers twitched, and she leaned close to Brokentail. "Rogue!" she spat. "Traitor!"

Brokentail's head shot up, and he bared his teeth, swinging his head around to try and pinpoint the kits. Tinyclaw watched uncomfortably as the kits began to giggle and jeer at Brokentail. Then Cloudkit jabbed out with a paw, smacking Brokentail in the ribs. The old cat groaned.

Tinyclaw glanced at Brackenpaw, feeling a stab of pity. Brokentail had done terrible damage to all the Clans, but he was nowhere near the fearsome warrior he had been then – now he looked twice his age, with patchy, rumpled fur and a face horribly scarred by Yellowfang's claws. Most cats figured he deserved to suffer – Tinyclaw among them – but this was just wrong. Tinyclaw signaled for Brackenpaw to wait and headed over.

On the way, he saw Cloudkit's eyes sparkle. She leaped onto Brokentail's bent tail, and Tinyclaw saw the shimmer of teeth as she bit down. Brokentail yelped and rose, turning on the kit. Tinyclaw's heart started and he began to rush – but Longtail was there first.

"Touch that kit and I'll flay you into strips!" Longtail hissed.

Tinyclaw was too angry to speak. He lunged forward, grabbed Cloudkit by her scruff, and pulled her off of Brokentail. Ashkit and Fernkit, their fur fluffed out in alarm, followed.

"Stop it!" she protested. StarClan, was she _heavy_ now! "That hurts!"

When she was a safe distance from Brokentail, Tinyclaw spat Cloudkit onto the ground. The patched kit shook out her fur and hissed, "What was _that_ for?"

"For being a -"

"Oh, leave the kit alone," hissed Longtail. "She's not doing any harm!"

Tinyclaw narrowed his eyes at Longtail, hoping the pale tabby could see just how much this was _not_ Longtail's business. Longtail seemed to get the message, lashing his tail and turning away. He made sure to spit a good "Kittypet!" over his shoulder before fleeing.

Forcing back the urge to rip Longtail's other ear to shreds, Tinyclaw turned his attention back to the kits. "Go to Brindleface," he urged. "Now."

Ashkit and Fernkit voiced no protest. The two slunk away, but when Cloudkit tried to shimmy out, Tinyclaw stopped her with one paw.

"Not you," he growled. "Not yet."

Cloudkit sighed and sat down on her haunches.

"What were you thinking?" Tinyclaw wondered. Concern bubbled up in him. "Brokentail could have clawed you! Don't you have better games to play?"

Cloudkit met his eyes and meowed, "We have to keep quiet and play light now that Bluefur's kits are here. They're too little and the nursery is too cramped for proper playing. Besides, Brokentail can't hurt us! He's guarded day and night and he's a bad cat so -"

"So that gives you the right to attack him?" Tinyclaw interjected. "Needle him with your teeth? Claw his fur? It only takes one good strike to hurt a cat as small as you, Cloudkit, and Brokentail is well-practiced in doing just that."

Cloudkit's ears flattened. For a moment, Tinyclaw wondered if he'd been too harsh on her – but she mumbled, "I'm sorry."

Tinyclaw nodded and meowed, "Good. Now -"

"What's a kittypet?"

Tinyclaw looked down at the kit. She was looking up at his, blue eyes wide with curiosity. It was as if her reprimand had simply been a fly on her tail – just a flick, and her remorse was gone. But, Tinyclaw supposed, that was how kits were.

"Why?" Tinyclaw wondered.

"I hear it a lot," Cloudkit admitted. "I just wondered what it meant."

Suddenly Tinyclaw was reminded – like a blow to the head – that Cloudkit had no idea of her origins, nor what they meant to the Clan. No doubt she'd heard cats calling Tinyclaw a kittypet, but when the insult was directed at her it must have made things confusing.

"Well…" Tinyclaw took a deep breath. Oh, how to broach this subject lightly? "A kittypet is a cat who lives with Twolegs. Some Clan cats believe that kittypets can't be good warriors – since we were born in the Twolegplace before coming here, those cats think that -"

"Wait a minute," Cloudkit mewled. Her eyes were wide. "I was born _here,_ not in some smelly Twolegplace!"

Tinyclaw swallowed. "No, you weren't," he told her. It was too late to back out now – she needed to know. "Your mother was a kittypet named Fiona, and your father was my half-brother Rusty. They both live in Twoleg nests, and they both decided to give you to me when you were very young, so you could be a warrior."

"Why didn't you _tell_ me?" Cloudkit wailed. Her fur was bristling all over, and her eyes were shining with misery. Tinyclaw's heart ached at the way she fumbled her paws into the slush.

"I was going to wait until you were a little older," Tinyclaw admitted, flicking his tail awkwardly. "Brindleface and I were going to tell you together. I'm so sorry, Cloudkit…"

Cloudkit took a few steps back and spent a little time staring at her paws before lifting her head again. Instead of shock in her eyes, Tinyclaw saw a cold, icy understanding. She spat, "So that's why cats treat me different? Because I wasn't born in this… this _dump_ of a forest? That's so stupid!"

Tinyclaw flinched at her cold tone. Worry enveloped him – what if Cloudkit wanted to go back to her mother and father? What if everything Fiona and Rusty had hoped for fell through? What if Tinyclaw had just made a horrible mistake?

He struggled for words, but he managed, "I know it's stupid. Believe me – I _understand."_ He took a deep breath and then went on more patiently, "Warriors like Darkstripe and Longtail think being a kittypet makes you weak. That means it's up to us to work twice as hard to prove we're just as good as they are – if not better. Where you were born is nothing to be ashamed of, and cats that judge you based on things you can't control aren't worth worrying about."

Cloudkit's eyes burned like blue flames. "I'm going to be the best warrior in the Clan," she vowed. She got to her paws and raised her tail. "I'll fight any cat who thinks I'm weak, and I'll be strong enough to kill nasty rogues like Brokentail in one swipe!" For measure, she made sure to claw at the snowy earth.

Tinyclaw chuckled. He bent and licked her between the ears. "There's more to being a warrior than fighting or killing, Cloudkit," he told her. "A true warrior isn't cruel or mean, and they don't claw an enemy that can't fight back. Where's the honor in that?"

He watched Cloudkit turn and look at Brokentail. Her fur flattened, and her tail lowered to a less arrogant level. Tinyclaw followed her gaze, wondering if she was thinking of what it would mean to strike down Brokentail, who seemed to have already given up.

Brackenpaw was over by the old tom, sniffing at his tail. The young cat looked up and reported, "There's no damage."

 _That's good,_ Tinyclaw thought. _Cloudkit's getting big – her bites are going to start meaning something real soon._

Brokentail didn't seem to notice them – at least, he was putting a lot of effort into ignoring their presence. Tinyclaw nudged Cloudkit away and meowed, "Let's get you back to Brindleface."

Cloudkit said nothing as they turned away from Brokentail and headed for the nursery. She kept her eyes on her paws, as if she were still thinking. Tinyclaw kept one eye on her, but eventually he looked at Brackenpaw and meowed, "Sorry."

"It's all right," Brackenpaw meowed. "There was no rush on those herbs anyway, and we still have time to go -"

"Herbs?" Cloudkit mewled suddenly. Her head shot up, blue eyes sparkling. "Where are you going? Can I come?"

Tinyclaw opened his jaws, but Brackenpaw filled them. "Yes, you can," he meowed. Tinyclaw shut his jaws and looked at the apprentice as Cloudkit let out a squeal of joy. Brackenpaw rolled his eyes and meowed, "Let her come, Tinyclaw – she's going to be cooped up again, no doubt, and seeing a bit of the forest would be good for her."

"I suppose I can't argue," Tinyclaw sighed. _Not without crushing Cloudkit's hopes._

Cloudkit was purring, an enormous roar compared to the size of her body. She was looking at Tinyclaw with triumph.

"Put a paw wrong and you're back in the nursery, understand?" he told her.

Cloudkit nodded. "Yes!" she mewed. "Of course!"

Brackenpaw led the way out of camp and up the ravine. Along the way, Tinyclaw was answering ceaseless questions from Cloudkit. By the time they reached the outskirts of the training hollow, Tinyclaw's throat was raw from answering questions about trees, dirt, grass, snow, prey, and everything in between.

Eventually Cloudkit got the hint and shut her mouth. She began bounding between snow piles, tossing up dead leaves and stalking imaginary prey. Tinyclaw kept her within sight, using the flashes of her ginger splotches to track her.

"What exactly are you looking for?" Tinyclaw wondered.

"Berries, mostly," Brackenpaw answered. "Juniper, Yellowfang says, for bellyaches. Broom for sprains and wounds, and alder bark for toothaches."

"Berries?" quipped Cloudkit. She shot out of the snow. "I'll find you _tons_ of berries!"

She dashed away before Tinyclaw could say a thing. Beside him, Brackenpaw was chuckling. "She's real keen," he purred. "When she's apprenticed, she'll learn quickly!"

"If she doesn't run into too much trouble before then," Tinyclaw sighed. "Tigerstar might just see fit to postpone her apprenticeship permanently if she gets into any more trouble."

"Tigerstar's a softie," Brackenpaw told him. His eyes softened, and he meowed, "She reminds me of Cinderpaw."

Tinyclaw stiffened, recalling just how much Brackenpaw had sacrificed to save his sister from being killed on the Thunderpath. The incident had scarred them both terribly – physically and emotionally. For some time Cinderpaw had believed she ought to have died to spare Brackenpaw from his current fate… but Brackenpaw would have it no other way.

"If she's my apprentice, she'll have to start listening," Tinyclaw decided. He tried not to let his emotions get in his voice, but it was impossible.

Brackenpaw sighed and meowed, "Yes… because you're such a _harsh_ mentor, Tinyclaw!"

"You never used to talk back," Tinyclaw meowed, "that's Yellowfang's doing."

Brackenpaw's eyes were sparkling with laughter. "Perhaps," he purred. "She always tells me to lighten up, or to bend my spine a little. Says I'm stiff, like an elder."

"Brackenpaw!" called Cloudkit. "I found some berries!"

Brackenpaw's ears pricked. "Let's see them," he decided.

Tinyclaw got to his paws and followed Brackenpaw. Cloudkit was bouncing before a large, dark-leaved bush full of ripe red berries. Tinyclaw felt almost hypnotized by their color and roundness – they looked very juicy, and there were plenty.

"Stay clear," Brackenpaw meowed. Tinyclaw and Cloudkit looked at the young apprentice, whose hackles were bristling. "Don't touch them."

"Why not?" Cloudkit wondered. Her eyes were round. "They look tasty!"

Quicker than Tinyclaw thought he could manage, Brackenpaw thrust himself between Cloudkit and the berries. He hissed, eyes burning, "These are _death_ berries! Eat so much as one and you'll be seeing StarClan!"

Cloudkit backed up, bristling in horror.

Brackenpaw unbent his spine. "S-Sorry," he meowed. "Didn't mean to scare you. Yellowfang was just _really_ insistent that we watch out for these. We don't keep them in camp but she said they grow a lot in our territory."

"Remember what these look like, Cloudkit," Tinyclaw offered to the little kit. "You can tell your littermates, and keep an eye out for them when you go for walks. Dark bush, red berries. Remember?"

Cloudkit nodded, still startled.

"Another way to tell is by how many berries are on the bush to begin with," Brackenpaw pointed out. "See how many there are? If they were safe to eat, animals like squirrels or birds would be taking them – but most animals know to stay away, so there are always lots of them."

Cloudkit nodded. She swallowed, and meowed, "I-I get it."

"You can keep looking for berries, then," Brackenpaw offered. "Juniper berries are purple. You know what purple looks like?"

"K-Kinda?" replied Cloudkit.

"Go on, then," Brackenpaw offered, "and don't eat anything you find. Tell me and Tinyclaw first."

Cloudkit nodded and trotted off. Her pace was slower and more subdued – Brackenpaw had thoroughly scared her about deathberries, that was for sure.

"It's a good thing," Tinyclaw sighed, when Cloudkit was out of earshot. "You've learned a lot from Yellowfang."

"She's… a good teacher," Brackenpaw admitted. "Certainly a lot to say, that's for sure."

The two began plodding out of the training hollow, heading after Cloudkit. Going up the hill it was clear that Tinyclaw had to slow himself drastically to keep pace with Brackenpaw, whose injury made it difficult for him to balance right on the slushy slope. This time, Brackenpaw did notice.

When they were out of the hollow he sighed, "Yellowfang says my leg is as healed as it's ever going to be."

"I know," Tinyclaw sighed. He'd heard this news before, from Yellowfang. "What do you think you'll do?"

"Tigerstar and Yellowfang had a talk with me before the Gathering," Brackenpaw said. "It's not like I don't know my options… but I don't know. Would you really want a crippled cat as your apprentice?"

"You know you're always welcome to be my apprentice," Tinyclaw assured him. He didn't know how to work around Brackenpaw's injury, but there had to be some way. Deadfoot of WindClan's paw was twisted, and he was a Clan deputy! "Did Yellowfang…?"

"Ask me to be her apprentice?" Brackenpaw guessed. "No, not formally. She posed it as an option, though – said I was learning a lot, and good with patients. She told me that some medicine cat apprentices freak out when they face their first queen giving birth… but I did well."

He sighed. "I have options, but I don't know what to do."

Tinyclaw frowned. "I can't help you," he reminded the young cat. "This choice is yours."

Brackenpaw frowned. "I just don't want to feel like my injury has pigeonholed me into a role I didn't want," he meowed. "I _want_ to be a warrior, Tinyclaw, but… I owe Yellowfang so much, and I won't lie when I say that the herb lore is fascinating… I just don't know what to do."

"It'll come to you," Tinyclaw assured him. "StarClan will show you the way."

"I hope so."

"Brackenpaw!" came a cry. "Come see what I've found!"

Brackenpaw's ears pricked. "I wonder what it is?" he mumbled. "Hopefully not nightshade…" The young cat limped faster, heading for Cloudkit.

Tinyclaw followed, keeping his pace purposefully slow. Tigerstar was a great leader, and Tinyclaw knew that he would do his best to accept Brackenpaw in whatever he chose. There was a place for everyone within the Clan, and Tigerstar meant those words. He truly cared.

Yet… knowing that made things more confusing. Tigerstar had reacted so virulently when Tinyclaw had talked about Goldenflower and her kits. Why? He had been so angry that he was closing his eyes to Bluefur and the danger she posed to those he lived to protect.

 _There's something there, definitely,_ Tinyclaw thought as he padded on. _But what is it?_ Could a mystery possibly be buried so deep that no one could unearth it?


	10. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

 _Tinyclaw crouched in the warmth_ of the nursery, looking down on small kits suckling from their mother's belly. He sighed warmly, looking down at the little lives that would keep ThunderClan going, generation after generation…

 _Wait,_ he realized. _ThunderClan doesn't have kits that look like these…_

He lifted his head in shock. The two kits huddled next to their mother's belly were unfamiliar – and when he looked up, he found that not only was the mother's pelt unfamiliar, the queen had no face. Her pelt was rippling gold, and though he could not see her eyes he felt as if she were looking right at him.

Then, the queen looked up. Tinyclaw followed her gaze to see a massive cat standing near him, looking down at the queen. He was faceless, too, and his pelt was unidentifiable, but dark.

Suddenly the huge cat rippled, disappearing into the dream. Tinyclaw called out to them, but nothing happened – and when he turned to the golden queen he found that she was not the cat she had been a moment before.

Her pelt was suddenly a rippling, lovely silver – and the kits' pelts had changed, too. Behind her, curled around her, was a dark gray blur – also faceless, but more recognizable, though Tinyclaw still couldn't place their name.

The two had no faces, but when they turned to look at one another, the love was undeniable. Before Tinyclaw could say or do anything, they faded away, leaving the nursery empty.

"This time," murmured a voice, "things will be different."

Tinyclaw turned around. Standing in the nursery entrance was Redtail, the former ThunderClan deputy, and between his paws were three kits, each one some mottling of gray and white. Light shone all around him, and he looked upon Tinyclaw with a fatherly reverence.

"Different?" Tinyclaw wondered. Seeing Redtail brought forth memories of his first day in ThunderClan, when the tom's body had been brought back by Bluefur, his murderer. "What's going on?"

Redtail raised his fox-red tail and meowed, "Things will be different, because of you."

And then he was gone, the dream was gone, and it was all so sudden that when Tinyclaw blinked he found himself writhing in his nest.

"Great StarClan, do you have to make so much racket?" Dustpelt growled. "Some of us are still trying to sleep."

Tinyclaw stopped himself and sheathed his claws. He looked about, finding that he'd made a decent mess of his nest. The den was mostly empty, thankfully, and when Dustpelt snorted and left Tinyclaw quickly cleaned up what he'd done.

 _Graystripe's gone,_ he thought as he worked. _Must be seeing Silverstream._ He understood what it felt like to be in love – or at least infatuated – but he didn't understand how his friend could continue risking himself for it. It would only lead to trouble, and Tinyclaw was unsure how things would end.

He pushed the thoughts aside as he finished up his nest and settled for a quick wash. His dream nagged at his mind, and he was unsure of it's meaning. Was it a prophecy? A warning of some kind? Redtail hadn't been clear, and the dream had been even less so. He didn't recognize any of the cats that featured, and why they were faceless he couldn't say.

 _Just what I need,_ Tinyclaw thought as he finished his wash. _Another mystery._ Didn't he have enough to deal with? Why was Redtail sending him these dreams when there were more important things to deal with, like Bluefur?

Tinyclaw poked his head out into the world. The air crisped his ears, and he determined that the thaw had not yet come. Breath puffed before his nose as he pulled himself out of the warrior's den to stretch in the clearing. Sandstorm was there, finishing up a meager meal.

"Morning," she meowed.

"Morning," Tinyclaw returned. His stomach growled, and suddenly Tinyclaw realized that he was really, really hungry. "What's for breakfast?"

"Not much," Sandstorm replied. "Better get something before it's gone."

Tinyclaw nodded and headed for the fresh-kill pile, finding that Sandstorm was correct: it was rather low. He picked up a shrew and headed back, settling beside her to eat. "We'll have to hunt today," he commented as he chewed. The shrew was stringy – the Clan needed warmer prey.

"Whitestorm and Mousefur are out already," Sandstorm replied, washing her paws. "Swiftpaw and Thornpaw were so excited for their first outing! Poor Whitestorm looked like he was about to fall asleep on his paws."

Tinyclaw purred. Seemed that even great warriors like Whitestorm liked sleeping in. He swallowed another bit of shrew, then asked, "Want to go out?"

"Sure," Sandstorm replied, flicking her tail. "The Clan could use a nice big rabbit."

Tinyclaw purred, and warmth filled him.

"Did you see Bluefur's kits yet?" Sandstorm wondered. Her eyes sparkled. "They're so cute!"

Tinyclaw stiffened, his purr dying in his throat. "N-No, not yet," Tinyclaw stuttered. Sure, he wanted to see the kits – but the thought of seeing Bluefur made his stomach turn. He liked things how they were, with her stuck in the nursery and out of sight.

Sandstorm frowned. "I know she's harsh, but you should see her," she meowed. "Those kits have turned her into a puddle! I've never seen her look at anything the way she does them."

He was saved from having to make any sort of reply by Brackenpaw. Sandstorm's ears pricked when the young apprentice limped over, and Tinyclaw lifted his head.

"Hey," Brackenpaw meowed. He shifted on his paws. "Mind if I join you today?"

Sandstorm and Tinyclaw shared a glance. When she didn't say anything, Tinyclaw asked, "Does Yellowfang need more herbs?"

Brackenpaw's shoulder fur ruffled. "N-No," he meowed. "I just… want to stretch my legs."

"Alright," Sandstorm meowed. "We're going hunting – is that all right?"

Brackenpaw swallowed and then nodded. Tinyclaw threw him a puzzled look, but Brackenpaw gave nothing away as he stared at his paws.

"Well, we should head out, then," Sandstorm decided. She got to her paws and stretched. "Can't idle here all day."

Tinyclaw nodded. "Right," he meowed. "Come on, Brackenpaw."

They were not three steps away from the nettle patch when Cinderpaw came padding out of the apprentice's den. Her big blue eyes grew even rounder when she spotted Tinyclaw and the others, and she trotted over with a twitch in her tail.

"Where are you going?" she wondered. "Where's Graystripe? He didn't come and get me this morning."

Tinyclaw stifled a sigh. Part of him had been hoping that Graystripe had been training his apprentice, but now it was clear that he was seeing Silverstream. He was happy that his friend had found love, but he was neglecting his duties to his apprentice – something that could have been avoided had he chosen a mate from his own Clan.

 _There's nothing I can do about it now – besides, it might cheer Brackenpaw up to spend time with Cinderpaw,_ Tinyclaw thought.

"We're going hunting," Tinyclaw told her. "Want to come?"

"Yes!" Cinderpaw cheered. Thankfully, she ignored the fact that Tinyclaw hadn't mentioned Graystripe's whereabouts. "Let's go!"

"Cinderpaw, wait!" Tinyclaw called – but it was futile. The gray apprentice was already a fox-length ahead, powering for the thorn tunnel.

They caught up with Cinderpaw just outside the tunnel. Thankfully, she had waited for them. She turned in a circle when they arrived, looking up at the warriors with a smile.

Sandstorm rolled her eyes. "You need to slow down," she meowed. "We won't catch a thing with you rampaging through the woods."

"I know," Cinderpaw replied, "that's why I stopped."

 _You cheek!_ Tinyclaw thought, smirking at the apprentice.

He led the way to the training hollow. There was usually prey around here year-round, and he could smell some promising leads in the air. The group said nothing as they entered the hollow, but it was clear that Sandstorm was itching to move a little faster. Keeping up with Brackenpaw's pace was going to make the trip interesting.

"Let's look here," Tinyclaw offered. "Sandstorm, will you take Cinderpaw? I want to work with Brackenpaw a little."

Sandstorm said nothing, but her eyes flashed knowingly. She nodded, and gathered Cinderpaw up with her tail. The two she-cats headed off into the undergrowth. When they were gone, Tinyclaw turned to Brackenpaw, who was staring off into the distance.

"What's this about?" Tinyclaw wondered. When he didn't reply, Tinyclaw meowed louder, "Brackenpaw!"

The small cat gave a start. "S-Sorry," he mumbled, not meeting Tinyclaw's eyes. "I told you – I just wanted to get some exercise. Maybe… try out some moves?"

Tinyclaw frowned. _He wants to try hunting,_ he realized. _To see if he still can._ Tinyclaw reminded himself that it wasn't his place to tell Brackenpaw what he ought to do with his life – if Brackenpaw wanted to try, then it was Tinyclaw's job to help.

"Show me a hunting crouch," Tinyclaw offered.

Brackenpaw's eyes glowed, and he got to his paws. He did his best to get into a hunting crouch, but it was clear he was out of practice. His injured leg stuck out awkwardly, and Tinyclaw didn't miss the pain in his expression as he tried to hold the position.

Tinyclaw paced around him, fiddling with his positioning here and there until Brackenpaw was in the best possible crouch. Then, he meowed, "Now stalk."

Brackenpaw took it slow, determination in his eyes – but it hurt Tinyclaw's heart to watch him. He was leaning so heavily onto one side that Tinyclaw knew his stalking wouldn't work the way it was. But he was trying so hard – _so_ hard – that all Tinyclaw could manage was, "Take it a little slower next time."

But Brackenpaw sat on his haunches and sighed. "I can't do it," he decided.

"What?" Tinyclaw wondered. "Sure you can, you just need to -"

"No," Brackenpaw insisted, "It just… doesn't come to me anymore. It hurts to crouch like that – I know, I've tried before now. I just thought that being out here, in the woods… I thought it might make everything feel better, but it doesn't. I'd have to be really lucky to catch anything."

Tinyclaw opened his jaws, but he closed them. He didn't know what he could say to Brackenpaw to make him feel better – Tinyclaw didn't know what it was like to have a disability like his.

"We can figure something out," Tinyclaw tried. "We could ask Deadfoot -"

"Do you really think the deputy from another Clan is going to waste his time trying to train me?" Brackenpaw asked, turning to face Tinyclaw. His eyes were burning. "Our injuries are similar, but not similar enough – Deadfoot's paw is the only thing that doesn't work for him. My _whole leg_ is just… _useless._ Cats can survive without legs but not when they're just hanging as deadweight."

Brackenpaw frowned and said, "Deadfoot might have some nice words, but he wouldn't be able to -"

A shriek cut him off.

Brackenpaw's eyes grew wide. "Cinderpaw!"

Suddenly he was on his paws, turned about, and rocketing off into the forest as fast as he could. Tinyclaw was on his paws a second later, and he charged past Brackenpaw on the way to the source of Cinderpaw's screech. On the way a rank scent grew stronger and stronger – badger.

Tinyclaw had never seen a badger for himself – but as he leaped a fallen log he spotted it. It was a hulking creature, just a bit bigger than a cat with short black fur and a large white stripe from nose to tail. It was slamming its flat, clawed paws against the husk of a fallen oak, and inside was a familiar patch of white fur.

 _Cloudkit!_ Tinyclaw realized.

Cinderpaw and Sandstorm were already on the offensive, so Tinyclaw leaped onto the creature's back. He dug his claws in, feeling ferociously protective of Cloudkit. Sandstorm and Cinderpaw were nipping at the creature's heels, and slowly they managed to turn it away.

With a roar it shook off Tinyclaw and its other attackers. It turned to face them, growling – but its night-eyes couldn't see well in the day.

"What's Cloudkit doing here?" Tinyclaw hissed as the cats regrouped.

"She was with Brindleface and her kits," Sandstorm meowed back. "They were walking – just stretching their legs. Brindleface and the others got away but Cloudkit got stuck in the log!"

The badger waited no longer – it rushed at them, growling and sputtering. The cats scattered, and then attacked. The badger's blows were hard, harder than any cats', and Tinyclaw felt them as it battered him away roughly.

"Get away from us!" Cinderpaw hissed.

She leaped onto the badger, digging into its back. It roared in fury again, trying to shake her off. Tinyclaw and Sandstorm rushed in, striking at its belly and legs as Cinderpaw did her best to hold on.

"I've got Cloudkit!" called Brackenpaw.

Tinyclaw looked away just a moment to see Brackenpaw standing before Cloudkit. The little she-kit was cowering, terrified, just behind Brackenpaw.

"Get her home!" Tinyclaw cried, turning back to the badger.

The badger let out another roar. It shook them all off and began lumbering towards Brackenpaw, obviously more interested in weaker opponents. Tinyclaw hit the ground hard and though he did his best to move he was stunned.

"Brackenpaw!" Cinderpaw cried.

She was on her paws in an instant, nothing but a gray blur as she rocketed across the small battlefield. Tinyclaw only saw the spray of blood before the badger reared up and slammed its paws down, hard, onto the ground. Cinderpaw let out a shriek, and the badger rushed away, bleeding from the eyes and face.

"Cinderpaw!" Tinyclaw called, horrified.

The little cat was lying on the ground, motionless. Blood caked her side. Horror crawled up Tinyclaw's spine – had the badger killed her?

"She's alive!" called Brackenpaw, relief choking his voice.

"Thank StarClan," breathed Sandstorm, echoing Tinyclaw's thoughts.

The two warriors got to their paws and headed for Cinderpaw. A long gash was in her side, but it was clear she was still breathing. Cloudkit was trembling beside Brackenpaw, eyes wide at the blood.

"She'll be fine," Brackenpaw reported. "I need cobwebs."

Cloudkit blinked and meowed, "There were lots in the tree!" She turned and shot back into her hiding spot. A moment later she came out almost covered in cobwebs. Brackenpaw's whiskers twitched, but he teased them off of her and pressed them onto Cinderpaw's wounds.

"I could have moved," he meowed to her. His voice was hiccuping with worry. "You… you didn't need to step in."

"You didn't need to come after me, either," Cinderpaw rasped. "It's what littermates do; we look out for each other."

Tinyclaw swallowed a lump of emotion. Brackenpaw's injury had been caused by Cinderpaw's impulsiveness – without Brackenpaw, she would have been flattened by a Twoleg monster. Tinyclaw supposed that this was her way of returning the favor.

 _At least she's not too badly injured,_ he thought.

"I think the badger's gone for now," Sandstorm commented, "but with how hungry it looked, who knows when it might come back? Is she safe to move?"

Brackenpaw nodded. "If we're careful," he added.

Tinyclaw nudged Cloudkit. She clung close to him, her tail low. Tinyclaw and Sandstorm helped Cinderpaw to her paws, and together they headed back to camp.

* * *

They hadn't even reached the ravine when Brindleface's anxious cries reached them. Cloudkit's ears pricked, but she didn't leave Tinyclaw's side as they carefully, carefully, picked their way down. When Brindleface spotted Cloudkit her face lit up with relief, and she was instantly at Tinyclaw's side.

" _There_ you are!" she breathed. "Oh, my poor dear…" She bent her head and covered Cloudkit with anxious licks.

"What's all this about? I smell blood!" Oakheart's head popped out of the thorn tunnel. His eyes widened as he observed the scene, and he pulled himself out into the forest.

"A badger attacked us while my kits and I were stretching our legs," Brindleface explained. "Just like I said."

Oakheart's tail flicked. "I didn't doubt you, but…" His eyes flickered across the group. His eyes rested on Cinderpaw's cobweb-plastered flank. "Get her inside. Brindleface, Cloudkit, inside too. I'm putting together a patrol to look for the badger."

"I'll go," Sandstorm offered. "I'll show you were it was."

Oakheart nodded. He told her, "Get Dustpelt, Runningwind, and Willowpelt. We'll find this beast and make sure it doesn't come back."

"Be careful," Tinyclaw urged.

"Don't worry," Sandstorm meowed, "that thing's not laying a claw on me!"

She disappeared into the thorn tunnel. Brindleface and Cloudkit went next, and Tinyclaw and Brackenpaw guided Cinderpaw into the camp last. They passed Sandstorm and the rest of the badger patrol as they crossed the clearing.

Tinyclaw spotted Yellowfang by the elder's den, with Brokentail. She was sitting with him, grooming his pelt gently. Longtail was a fox-length away, looking impatient and irritated – clearly he wasn't happy with the prisoner being treated in such a way.

As he watched Tinyclaw recalled something no one else but he and Yellowfang knew – Brokentail was Yellowfang's son, the only survivor of a forbidden litter. Though he had done such terrible things, Yellowfang insisted on dealing with him herself to atone for the mistakes she'd made. There was no mistaking that she still fiercely loved her kit, even though he despised his captors.

"Take her to the den," Tinyclaw told Brackenpaw. "I'll get Yellowfang."

Brackenpaw nodded and led Cinderpaw towards the fern tunnel. Tinyclaw turned his paws to Yellowfang and Brokentail.

"… prey will be fat again, once it thaws," she rasped quietly. Tinyclaw's ears pricked. "You'll feel better then, I'm sure."

The tenderness was definitely one-sided – Brokentail didn't seem to be hearing Yellowfang at all, nor did he care that she was grooming his pelt. His head was on his paws, and his expression was unreadable.

Yellowfang pricked her ears when Tinyclaw approached. Her eyes flickered across his pelt and she asked, "Why does it look like you've gotten into a fight with a thornbush?"

"We fought a badger," Tinyclaw told her. He explained what had happened briefly, then added, "Brackenpaw took Cinderpaw into your den."

"How is she?" Yellowfang asked.

"Brackenpaw says she'll live," Tinyclaw told her. "He responded well to the injury – got cobwebs immediately."

Yellowfang nodded. "Good boy, him," she grunted. She got to her paws and meowed, "I'll look in on it. Come with me; we'll get something for those scratches."

Tinyclaw nodded and followed Yellowfang towards the fern tunnel. He glanced back at Brokentail and felt a wave of confusion. Brokentail didn't seem to care that Yellowfang was paying attention to him, and even though he had nearly destroyed his Clan Yellowfang still seemed to think of him as her kit somewhere. Clearly that was a hard bond to break.

So then what did his dream, and Redtail's message, really mean… and what did queens and kits have to do with it?


	11. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

" _You'd better rest here for_ tonight," Yellowfang rasped. "You'll heal soon enough but too much movement will reopen that wound of yours."

Cinderpaw nodded, too weak to protest. Brackenpaw was settled beside her nest, prodding and poking at the stems worriedly, making sure the nest was perfect for his injured sister.

"It'll be fine," he told her. "You'll see."

Cinderpaw purred and settled herself down to rest. Tinyclaw blinked admiringly at Brackenpaw – the young cat showed no bitterness towards his sister – her injuries would heal. His would not.

"Where's Cloudkit?" rasped Yellowfang.

"Don't know," Tinyclaw replied. "Probably in the nursery, with how worried Brindleface had been." The poor kit had gotten her paws wrong trying to follow her foster mother and nearly lost her life for it. She was probably terrified.

"Go check on her," Yellowfang implored. The old she-cat licked one paw and drew it over her ear. "She'll probably want some reassuring. This was a very traumatic experience."

Tinyclaw nodded. The thought flashed in his mind as he looked at Yellowfang – _You would have done the same for Brokentail, if you could have._ Perhaps Brokentail might have turned out differently if Yellowfang had been able to care for him like a proper queen?

Turning away from the medicine cat, Tinyclaw thought, _I understand why medicine cats shouldn't have kits – but they shouldn't be forced away from them if they do. The poor kits… growing up without a mother or father must be awful…_

Tinyclaw padded out of the medicine cat's den, thinking briefly of his own mother. He'd only known her for around five moons but those were happy times – playing with his littermates, romping around his Twolegs' backyard, looking for adventures… he couldn't imagine what it would have been like if he'd never had those experiences.

He was halfway to the nursery when a flash of white caught his eye in the elder's den. Tinyclaw glanced over to find, to his surprise, Cloudkit. She was huddled amongst the elders, her back to the camp. Whatever was happening, from the sound of the meowing it seemed like everything was all right.

Tinyclaw headed for the elder's den, keeping his pawsteps light so as to not interrupt Cloudkit. His ears pricked as he picked up her voice – she was telling the elders about the badger attack!

" … and then Tinyclaw leaped and grabbed the big thing's leg!" Cloudkit purred. "It was amazing!"

"Go on!" purred Smallear.

"He and Sandstorm wrestled with the badger's legs, and then…" Cloudkit paused, recollecting. "Then… then it shook them both off! It was so powerful!"

Halftail was nodding, his stumpy tail twitching. Tinyclaw recalled that Halftail had lost his tail to a badger before moving into the elder's den.

"It charged at Brackenpaw," Cloudkit went on. "He was trying to protect me! But with Tinyclaw and Sandstorm stunned, I thought we were done for! That's when Cinderpaw burst in and clawed at the badger's eyes! I've never seen anything like it!"

The elders purred communally. Dappletail flicked her tail around Cloudkit and asked, "And how do you feel? Were you hurt?"

Cloudkit shook her head. "No, but Cinderpaw was. I hope she'll be OK…"

"She'll be fine," Tinyclaw reported.

Cloudkit gave a start, and she turned around. Her blue eyes were wide with shock. "Tinyclaw!" she meowed.

"I just came from the medicine cat's den," Tinyclaw told her. "Yellowfang says Cinderpaw will be fine with a few days' rest."

"That's good," rasped Patchpelt. "Poor thing."

"I came to check on you," Tinyclaw offered. He bent down to look at Cloudkit. "Are you all right?"

Cloudkit pulled away from his searching nose. "I'm fine!" she insisted. "Brindleface says I had some bark in my fur but she pulled it out. No scratches."

"That's good," Tinyclaw purred. He sat up and then asked, "You were very brave, Cloudkit."

Cloudkit's fur fluffed. "I didn't do anything but hide and screech," she snorted. "That's not brave."

Tinyclaw rolled his eyes. "You did the best you could," he assured her. "When you have proper training, you'll be able to handle situations like that a lot better."

"Like, when I'm an apprentice?" Cloudkit wondered. "Brindleface says that it'll be soon."

Tinyclaw nodded. "When you're an apprentice, you'll learn how to run through the undergrowth faster than any blundering badger… and you'll learn how to defend yourself until help can come."

Her eyes sparkled. "Will I be _your_ apprentice?" she wondered.

"I don't know," Tinyclaw admitted.

"I can't wait!" Cloudkit squealed. She hopped onto her paws and turned to the elders. "And when I'm an apprentice, I'll come and tell all of you everything I do! All my adventures!"

"We can't wait," purred Dappletail.

"You won't have a lot of time for fun and games," Tinyclaw told her. "You'll have to take care of the elders, not tell them stories."

Cloudkit tipped her head questioningly.

"You'll have to clean their bedding, search them for ticks, give them fresh-kill…"

"I'll do that!" Cloudkit insisted. "I'll do that all the time!" She turned around and meowed, "I'll do it now, too!"

The elders purred again. Halftail's whiskers twitched and he meowed, "Some other time, little one. Go back to the nursery and get some rest – you've have a busy day."

Cloudkit's ears fell. "Oh," she murmured.

"Come on," Tinyclaw told her. He herded her out of the elder's den with one paw. "I'll take you back to Brindleface."

Together they padded towards the nursery. The brambles swished, and Darkstripe left the nursery before the two arrived. Tinyclaw saw Darkstripe's eyes shift to and fro before he headed out of camp. A little chill ran up Tinyclaw's spine.

"He visits a lot," Cloudkit commented. "Oakheart is Bluefur's mate, but Darkstripe's in a lot more than Oakheart is."

 _Really…?_ Tinyclaw found that interesting, but it confirmed what he already knew. "Oakheart's been busy, being one of our replacement deputies and all," he told Cloudkit.

She shrugged. "I dunno," she meowed, "I just hear 'em mumbling to each other a lot. They get all mean and quiet if anyone gets near them."

"Well… be careful," Tinyclaw told her. He licked her between the ears. "Don't get on Bluefur's bad side – she's deputy, you know."

"I know," Cloudkit mewed. "I'll see ya, Tinyclaw."

"Take care," Tinyclaw offered.

Cloudkit trotted into the nursery, her white, fluffy tail disappearing into the darkness. Tinyclaw made sure she was gone before turning his paws towards the camp entrance.

 _They must be plotting in the nursery,_ Tinyclaw thought as he went, following Darkstripe's scent through the thorn tunnel. _It would be mostly private there and Bluefur wouldn't have to leave her kits. But what are they plotting? Where is Darkstripe going?_

Tinyclaw exited the camp and followed Darkstripe's scent up the ravine. The dark tom was far enough ahead that Tinyclaw couldn't see him – which meant Darkstripe couldn't see he was being followed.

Bushes rustled, and Tinyclaw paused to look for the source. A blackbird was tottering around, picking at the slush. Tinyclaw dropped into a crouch. _I might be following Darkstripe, but feeding the Clan is a bigger priority._ Hunting would be a good excuse should Darkstripe catch him, too – ranging across the territory was typical for a one-cat hunting patrol.

Tinyclaw stalked the bird and made the catch quick and clean. He shook slush from the blackbird and turned his paws back onto Darkstripe's trail, pausing now and then to drop the blackbird and catch his scent.

Darkstripe's scent led him through Tallpines in the most direct way – Darkstripe was clearly on a mission, and didn't care what he blundered into to get where he was going. Tinyclaw buried his blackbird against the roots of one of the pines, tired of having to drop it again and again.

With his jaws free, Tinyclaw picked up his pace and stalked through the sparse undergrowth of Tallpies, his pawsteps softened by slush and pine needles. Darkstripe's scent was growing stronger and stronger…

"What in StarClan's name do you think you're doing?"

Tinyclaw shot up, ears pricked. Darkstripe was there in the distance, his yellow eyes narrowed as he glared at Tinyclaw from the top of a stump.

Blinking, Tinyclaw thought, _He's back already. He can't have stopped much further on than this…_ He definitely didn't make it to Twolegplace.

"Well?" hissed Darkstripe.

"I was hunting," Tinyclaw growled, "and last I checked, I don't _have_ to answer you immediately. You're not the deputy."

Darkstripe's tail lashed. Tinyclaw's muscles tensed instinctively, recalling that he and Darkstripe had shared Bluefur as a mentor – which made Darkstripe dangerous in a fight despite his blustering. If the dark tom had picked up anything at all he could be on Tinyclaw in a blink.

"I don't see any prey," Darkstripe growled.

"I wouldn't just carry all my prey through the forest. Anything with a nose could smell the blood!" Tinyclaw snapped. "What do you take me for, a kit?"

Darkstripe lashed his tail. "Show me, then!" he demanded.

Tinyclaw rolled his eyes and made a show of turning his back on Darkstripe. _I have all my senses trained on you,_ he thought as Darkstripe began to follow. _Cross me and you won't know what hit you._

He led Darkstripe to the place where he'd buried his blackbird. Uncovering it, he growled, "Satisfied?"

Darkstripe snorted. "Get on with it, then."

Tinyclaw watched with satisfaction as Darkstripe stalked away, down through Tallpines. Tinyclaw waited until the dark tom had disappeared before Tinyclaw turned back and followed Darksrtipe's trail back to the stump.

 _It's strong here,_ he thought. A few more sniffs and he'd caught on to the direction Darkstripe had come from. _Got cha!_

The trail came to an end in a small clearing not far from the outskirts of Twolegplace. The snow here was churned and chewed up by many paws, and the scents here were muddled and Clanless. Crow-food smell permeated the air, and Darkstripe's scent was the only one Tinyclaw recognized.

 _What was going on here?_ Tinyclaw thought. _Darkstripe obviously came out to meet someone… and from the smell of things, he met them all right._ Judging by the fact that Darkstripe was unharmed, the meeting must have been with friends.

Tinyclaw stepped away from the nasty smells. _Why would Darkstripe be meeting with a group of rogues unless it was for Bluefur?_ He wondered. Resolutely he decided that even if Tigerstar didn't believe him about Bluefur he had to be worried about these rogues in ThunderClan territory. _I'll tell him when I get back._

Turning around, Tinyclaw retraced his steps back into Tallpines, following the ThunderClan-Twolegplace border. Twoleg nests were within sight, but there didn't seem to be any prey or kittypets around. Tinyclaw frowned as he couldn't see to scent anything worthwhile – no sign of rogues or prey.

Snow rustled behind him suddenly, and a voice mewed, "Tinyclaw!"

Tinyclaw turned and spotted a white shape sitting starkly on one of the Twoleg fences. Fiona looked down at Tinyclaw with big blue eyes, her whiskers twitched in amusement.

"I snuck up on you!" she purred. "I didn't think you could sneak up on a wildcat!"

Tinyclaw looked up at her and blinked. He'd been so intent on searching for prey or those rogues he didn't think of Fiona being anywhere near him. He swallowed. "Hey, Fiona."

Fiona tipped her head. Her voice was concerned when she asked, "Aren't you eating enough? I've food in my nest, if you'd like."

Tinyclaw shook his head. "No one in the Clan is eating well, Fiona – it's leaf-bare. Prey is scarce… and you know I can't eat kittypet food."

Fiona flicked her plumed tail. "Of course," she sighed. "I know." She yawned, then asked, "How is Cloudkit? I haven't heard anything in a while."

Tinyclaw flicked his tail. Of course Fiona would want to know about her firstborn daughter, especially in this cold.

"She's doing fine," Tinyclaw assured her. "We make sure queens and kits are well fed, even in cold like this."

Fiona was nodding. "As you should," she agreed.

"Cloudkit will make a fine warrior," Tinyclaw went on. "She's smart, strong, and quite brave." The last thing Tinyclaw wanted to tell Fiona was that her daughter was almost killed by a badger.

"With you to teach her, I'm sure she'll do just fine," Fiona purred.

Tinyclaw smiled at her. Fiona knew the hardships Clans faced, though perhaps she didn't understand as well as she could. Being a kittypet sheltered her from the rough life of hunting for every meal, struggling through leaf-bare cold, or the pains of battle and loss. Tinyclaw was sure she worried to noo end about her little kit living in the woods.

"I should get going," Tinyclaw told her. "I need to hunt more before I head in."

"Of course," Fiona agreed. "Take care, Tinyclaw – and next time, bring Cloudkit."

"I'll try," Tinyclaw promised.

They parted. Tinyclaw headed into Tallpines, keeping his pace brisk and his nose open for prey. He'd have to come back with more than a blackbird if Darkstripe was going to believe he was out hunting.

As he went he realized he was hearing something unfamiliar – a sound he'd not heard in some time:

 _Drip._

 _Drop._

 _Drip._

 _Drop._

Tinyclaw paused as a warm wind blustered at his fur. He looked up into the trees, only to have a drop of water land square on his muzzle. His eyes widened in realization.

The thaw had begun!


	12. Chapter 10

**Bluefur's kits will be important! Unfortunately that importance might not come in this installment, but I'll try to fit a little bit in!**

* * *

 **Chapter 10**

 _Tigerstar was leaving the nursery_ when Tinyclaw returned to camp, prey in his jaws. He hastily dropped his prey off onto the fresh-kill pile before going to catch up to his leader.

"What is it, Tinyclaw?" Tigerstar asked flatly when Tinyclaw approached.

Tinyclaw took a second to frown, knowing that Tigerstar's listless tone was a sign that Tinyclaw was not forgiven for bringing up the half-Clan kits. Regardless, Tinyclaw lowered his head respectfully and said, "I was hunting near the Twolegplace when -"

"You spend quite a bit of time there," Tigerstar mused, his eyes flashing.

"I thought there might be more prey," Tinyclaw stammered. _I didn't bring a kit back this time, at least!_ "You know, since kittypets don't usually hunt."

"Very well," Tigerstar decided, "go on."

"I caught some strange scents just outside our border," Tinyclaw reported. "Strange cat-scents, heavy with crow-food smells."

Tigerstar's eyes flashed, and his ears pricked. "How many?" he wondered. "What Clan were they from?"

"No Clan," Tinyclaw told him. "But there was more than one. I couldn't really tell – the smells were muddled. It seems like it's a popular meeting spot, however." He left out the fact that Darkstripe had been loitering around that area as well, knowing it would bring up some difficulty.

"How recent?"

"Very," Tinyclaw answered. "I think I might have just missed them. I don't think they were kittypets, Tigerstar – they smelled too badly. It's probably a group of rogues."

Tigerstar was nodding in agreement. "Yes, definitely," he rumbled. "I will have some warriors check it out – they might not pose a threat, but it doesn't hurt to be too careful."

"Thank you," Tinyclaw breathed.

Tigerstar nodded curtly before padding off towards the Highrock. Tinyclaw watched him brush muzzles with Whitestorm before the two settled down to share tongues, probably talking about Bluefur's kits. Tinyclaw shifted on his paws – perhaps Tigerstar was beginning to cool down?

 _If I'm ever going to get him to listen to me again, I'd better hope so._

* * *

Two days later, the snow was melting into puddles. The moist, muddy ground was broken up by bright green buds and budding bushes. Tinyclaw relished the growing warmth in the woods as he padded back through the thorn tunnel, a vole clamped in his jaws.

Hunting had been good – almost overnight it seemed like prey had returned to the forest, and the Clan had gone to sleep full-fed for the first time in moons. Tinyclaw dropped his vole onto the fresh-kill pile, almost fully restocked from the night before, and the sun hadn't even begun to set.

He turned about to see cats clustering near the nursery. The queens were pulling out the old moss, raking it into piles and replacing it with fresher bedding. Tinyclaw trotted over to help, his tail straightening when he saw Cloudkit bundling moss as well.

"Brindleface showed me a good place just outside camp!" she crowed, moss tucked awkwardly beneath her chin. Ashkit and Fernkit were tottering behind her. "I'm going to show them!"

"Be careful," Tinyclaw warned.

Cloudkit nodded and took off, eyes sparkling. Ashkit and Fernkit followed. Tinyclaw watched, proud that his niece had taken to helping the elders with their bedding even without being asked or told. Perhaps she was learning the Clan's values after all.

"How's this feel, Bluefur?" asked Frostfur.

Tinyclaw blinked, suddenly realizing that Bluefur and her kits were outside the nursery for the first time since her kitting. She looked tired, but her fur was still sleek and glowing silver in the sunlight. At her paws tussled her kits, barely old enough to keep their eyes open for long but forced out of the nursery by the cleaning regardless.

Bluefur pressed her nose into it, then replied, "It will do fine."

Frostfur nodded and took the fresh moss inside the nursery. Bluefur looked down at her kits, reaching out with a paw to push them apart. She murmured to them, possibly asking them to behave, before her head shot up and she made eye contact with Tinyclaw.

For a moment, they were silent – Tinyclaw flexed his claws, admittedly nervous. Bluefur twitched her whiskers, her blue eyes unreadable.

"Tinyclaw," she said finally. "Come see my kits."

Tinyclaw's tail puffed, but he flattened it. It was not a request he could refuse, no matter what he felt about Bluefur. He padded closer and sat down, wrapping his tail around his paws. The kits squirmed and looked up at him, uncertain, their eyes still blue with youth.

There were three – Stonekit was the only tom, his fur a lighter shade of gray with very pale tabby stripes. Mistykit was reportedly the eldest, the spitting image of her mother with just bit more fluff around her ruff and tail. Mosskit, the last and smallest, was white with patches of blue-gray tabby. All three boasted their father's strong, stocky body and face, but Mistykit's likeness to Bluefur was still striking.

"They're lovely," Tinyclaw admitted awkwardly.

Bluefur licked a paw and drew it over her ear. "Yes, they are – though Oakheart wishes that one was colored like him," she replied idly. "Not much can be done about that, though."

Just as Tinyclaw was beginning to feel the awkwardness crawling in his pelt like ants, Whitestorm's call brought him out of the conversation:

"Tinyclaw! I have a job for you."

Tinyclaw turned and saw the white warrior was trotting towards him. Whitestorm stopped before Tinyclaw and meowed, "I want you to take a patrol down by the RiverClan border. With the snow gone we need to renew the scent markers – we haven't been able to do it for a few days."

 _My own patrol?_ Tinyclaw was stunned.

Whitestorm's whiskers twitched in amusement. "You'll do fine; Bluefur doesn't train fools. Pick a few cats and get going as soon as possible. I expect a full report!"

"Y-Yes, Whitestorm!" Tinyclaw stammered.

Tinyclaw trotted off to the warrior's den, feeling uplifted despite what had just happened: if Whitestorm was telling him to lead a patrol, then that must mean that Tigerstar was beginning to trust Tinyclaw again! He was light on his paws all the way to the warrior's den. When he poked his head under the leaves, he smiled as he saw all his favorite faces.

"Who wants to go on patrol with me?" he asked. "RiverClan border."

Graystripe was to his paws immediately. "I'm in," he mewed.

"I'll go," Runningwind agreed. He glanced at Sandstorm, who looked at Tinyclaw. The pale she-cat nodded, and Tinyclaw's heart felt light.

"Should we borrow an apprentice?" Tinyclaw wondered. Cinderpaw was still recovering from the badger and would have been free for a patrol if he'd asked tomorrow, but right now she was still under Yellowfang's paw.

Runningwind shook his head and explained, "Oakheart and Mousefur took all of them out to go hunt for the elders. Good luck to them!"

Tinyclaw nodded in assent and led the way out of camp. He set a brisk pace, fueled by the warm day and the sound of his friends beside him. He led the way up the ravine and towards Sunningrocks, a place that desperately needed border markings. His patrol followed him through the trees.

Near the edge of the forest Tinyclaw slowed to a walk, keeping his eyes and ears open. He could hear the river flowing free just beyond the treeline. Tinyclaw signaled with his tail for silence as they approached the border.

"I can't smell any RiverClan," Graystripe commented quietly.

"Doesn't mean there aren't any," Runningwind hissed back. "I wouldn't put it past RiverClan to roll in something to hide their stench."

Tinyclaw could practically feel Graystripe's irritation. He waved his tail and meowed, "Let's get going – Sunningrocks isn't far."

The patrol kept quiet as they stalked through the trees. The roar of water was growing closer, closer… _too_ close. Tinyclaw picked up the pace, his heart racing – why was the water so close?

He had to skid to an abrupt halt to prevent himself from falling into the answer. His dream crashed into his mind like a Thunderpath monster, sudden and painful. Here he and the patrol stood, on the crest of the hill that sloped down into what had been Sunningrocks – but all that was there now was a sheet of pure river water rippling in the breeze. The gray stones of Sunningrocks rose up like islands two fox-lengths inside the water.

"Great StarClan," breathed Sandstorm.

"It's…" Tinyclaw swallowed, "It's flooded. The river's flooded over!"


	13. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

" _By StarClan," breathed Runningwind._

Sandstorm and Tinyclaw grunted in agreement. Tinyclaw stared out over the watery expanse, the memories of his dream freezing his paws in place. Though it lay harmlessly shimmering before him, Tinyclaw could not help but recall Redtail's ominous warning about the danger of water.

Beside him, Graystripe was staring out over the water, horror undisguised in his eyes. Tinyclaw felt his pelt prickling against his own, and when he glanced at his friend Tinyclaw sensed that Graystripe was moments away from trembling. There was no need to ask what had Graystripe in such a state – he was worried for Silverstream.

 _The land's lower on the other side,_ Tinyclaw reflected. _RiverClan territory must be twice as flooded!_ He thought of Silverstream, and Goldenflower and Tawnypelt – though they were cats from an enemy Clan, he had some respect for them. He didn't want to see them, or any cat, driven from their home by something like this.

"RiverClan isn't going to like this," Runningwind reflected, padding to the edge of the debris-strewn water. He grimaced at the water. "At least it will keep them off our territory – can't imagine them wanting to swim in this mess."

Tinyclaw felt Graystripe tense, and he turned to look at Runningwind. He meowed decisively, "We can't patrol the border properly at the moment. We'll need to go home and report this." Runningwind nodded, and he and Sandstorm turned about. Tinyclaw nudged Graystripe away from the water and the four of them headed back through the forest.

* * *

Tigerstar wasted no time – as soon as he was told the news, he leaped onto the Highrock and called out his summons: "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join beneath the Highrock for a Clan meeting!"

Tinyclaw and his patrol took their place at the front of the crowd as cats began gathering. His fur prickled as he saw Cloudkit bouncing alongside Brindleface, though she was too young for the meeting. Yellowfang and Brackenpaw sat beside the fern tunnel to listen in, and Cinderpaw settled down beside her brother. Mousefur even managed to urge Brokentail out into the clearing, though the dark tom didn't seem to care either way.

Clouds were massing at the edge of the sky, bringing the bright morning to a sudden end. The gentle breeze had turned stiff and chilly, causing the cats to fluff their fur up against it or risk being cold to the bone. Tinyclaw felt his skin prickle, but he didn't know if was apprehension or cold.

"Cats of ThunderClan," boomed Tigerstar's great voice, "our camp may be in danger. The thaw has come, but the river has burst its banks. Part of our territory is flooded through."

Dismayed yowls rose from the Clan, but they were silenced by Tigerstar's roar: "Tinyclaw – tell the Clan what you and your patrol saw."

Tinyclaw got to his paws as the crowd settled down. Loud and clear, he described what he had found – the flooded banks, the debris, everything he could manage. When he was done, he felt a prickle of pride to be called upon like that.

"It doesn't sound too bad for us," Darkstripe pointed out when Tinyclaw was done. "We've got plenty of territory left for prey – let RiverClan worry about the flooding!"

Approval broke out in a murmur. Tinyclaw frowned, looking past the crowd to spot Bluefur sitting just outside the nursery with Frostfur. The warrior-queen said nothing, but her blue eyes took in everything. The tip of her tail twitched, but Tinyclaw wasn't sure if it was interest or not.

"Enough," Tigerstar ordered. The murmuring died down as attention focused on their leader. "This flood isn't something we can ignore – a good rain and floodwater will spread here. Something like this is bigger than Clan rivalry – I don't want to hear that any cat has died because of these floods, let alone a RiverClan cat."

There was a hot glow in his eyes. Tinyclaw narrowed his own, wondering what Tigerstar was thinking, saying something like that when he had seemed so angry about hearing anything having to do with RiverClan. Where was this sympathy for an enemy Clan coming from?

"I remember some time ago when the river flooded," Patchpelt offered from amongst the elders. "Cats from all Clans drowned, and prey drowned too. No Clan was immune from the flood's effects – this issue affects us all."

Tigerstar nodded at the old cat. "Thank you," he grunted. "I remember those days, too, and I hoped it would be a long time before I saw them again. But it has happened now, and these are my orders: No cat goes out alone. Kits do not leave camp, and apprentices do not leave camp without at least one warrior. Patrols will go out to see how far the floods reach – Whitestorm, you can -"

"I can see to that, Tigerstar," Bluefur offered.

Tigerstar's ears pricked. "Very well," he decided, "if you think you can. Bluefur will organize flood patrols – and I'm sure you know you won't be on any of them." Bluefur nodded, and Tigerstar went on: "Meanwhile Whitestorm and Oakheart will organize hunting patrols. We need a stock of prey before the water rises any further."

He decided, "This meeting is over. Go about your duties." Unceremoniously he leaped down from the Highrock. He padded over to Patchpelt and the other elders and began talking quietly to them.

Tinyclaw settled uncomfortably, looking over at Bluefur. He wondered if she was going to choose him to go on a flood patrol, but a flash of gray caught his eye. Graystripe was edging closer and closer to the edge of the camp, the crowd, and Tinyclaw sighed.

"Where do you think you're heading off to?" Tinyclaw hissed. "Tigerstar just got done saying that cats aren't allowed out on their own."

Graystripe shot back, "I _have_ to see Silverstream! I have to know that she's all right!"

Tinyclaw sighed again. He understood – if someone Tinyclaw cared about was in such danger, he'd want to go after them as soon as possible to make sure they were OK too – but was now really the time for his foolishness? "How would you cross the river?"

"I'll manage," Graystripe grunted. "I can do it… it's just water."

Tinyclaw threw Graystripe a skeptical look, catching a faint glimmer of fear in his friend's yellow eyes. "Don't be a fool," Tinyclaw sighed. "You nearly drowned once already. Is that not enough for you?"

Graystripe didn't answer. He turned his head towards the tunnel.

Tinyclaw sighed once more and looked over his shoulder. The Clan had split up into small groups, surrounding each deputy as they ordered the patrols be formed. Tinyclaw turned back to Graystripe and hissed, "Wait a moment, will you?"

Graystripe paused, and Tinyclaw bounded over to Bluefur. "Graystripe and I will go check the boundary downstream from Sunningrocks. Is that all right?"

Bluefur studied him long and hard with her blue eyes, but it was clear that Tinyclaw had caught her off-guard. Her whiskers twitched a moment, then she decided, "Very well. Mind your paws, and see that you bring back prey."

"We'll try," Tinyclaw offered. He turned and beat a hasty trot to Graystripe's side. "There," he panted. "No worries."

Graystripe narrowed his eyes. "You didn't have to do that," he grumbled.

Tinyclaw swatted Graystripe over the ear in a friendly way. "I'm not going to let you get into trouble," he meowed. "You can go see Silverstream – but we go together." Even though patrols didn't cross Clan boundaries, he couldn't let Graystripe do this on his own.

Graystripe's eyes clouded with relief. "Thanks," he meowed. "I won't forget this."

Side-by-side they left the camp and headed up the ravine, keeping close on the steep slope. They retraced the steps of their earlier patrol, and Tinyclaw noted how wetter the ground seemed. Everywhere the snow was melting into the earth, and everything seemed damp and soggy with water.

Even before they reached the flooded area Tinyclaw had a gut feeling that the water had spread – and it had. Sunningrocks was almost completely submerged now, the current of the river forming tight whirlpools and eddies around the gray islands. Tinyclaw stiffened and suggested, "Downriver?"

Graystripe nodded, and the two set off, following the shoreline towards the stepping-stones. Tinyclaw was about to suggest that this was a bad idea when a noise stopped him.

"What is it?" Graystripe wondered.

"Hear that?" Tinyclaw wondered.

Both fell silent. A long moment passed where nothing was heard – but then, suddenly, a thin wail was carried over the breeze. Tinyclaw's flanks bristled, and he and Graystripe locked eyes. "Kits!" they breathed together.

"Where?" Graystripe wondered, eyes wide and full of panic.

"I-I don't know!" Tinyclaw stammered. He swung his head around back and forth, looking frantically for the kits. The woods were still but the water was swirling… Tinyclaw's heart was beating in his ears. He barely heard Graystripe.

"Here!" Graystripe called. "On the water!"

Tinyclaw turned towards the flooded plain. It took him a moment before he spotted them – the swift current had driven a large mat of reeds and twigs up against one of the Sunningrocks. Clinging to it, mouths wide in desperation, were two wet-dark kits.

"We've got to hurry," Tinyclaw breathed. "The current is going to take them away any moment!"

Tinyclaw rushed into the water, going up to his belly in cold snowmelt. He looked back, seeing Graystripe hesitating, trembling with each pawstep into the water. Recalling how he had nearly drowned, Tinyclaw called, "I'll bring them to you – just stay put."

Graystripe only swallowed and nodded, eyes flashing with understanding. Though Tinyclaw was half of Graystripe's size, the black cat was far more comfortable in water than he was.

Quickly Tinyclaw was up to his neck. He strained to keep himself above water, pumping his legs as best as he could. Sticks and stones were floating amongst the water, and that made it hard. The current was strong, but it was pulling Tinyclaw in the right direction.

 _StarClan be kind,_ he thought. _Make this easy…_

Though the water made it hard to see, Tinyclaw could still hear the kits. He did his best to push himself in their direction. A great rock loomed before him, and before Tinyclaw could push himself away the current plastered him to it, knocking the breath from his lungs.

Quickly, Tinyclaw got back his bearings. He splashed and floundered, heart racing, until he managed to claw his way up the rock. StarClan had been kind, it seemed, for this stone was the one the kits' mat was pushed up against.

The kits themselves were small, smaller than Bluefur's. Tinyclaw guessed that they were still suckling from their mother, and terrified without her. Their pelts were plastered to their bodies, but one was a tortoiseshell while the other was black. The mat they were crouched on was a haphazard mixture of leaves, twigs, and rubbish that had once been something purposeful. Once the kits saw Tinyclaw, they began crawling towards him. The mat began to buckle beneath their tiny paws.

"Keep still!" Tinyclaw urged. Water lapped at his paws as he crept forward. He couldn't keep the kits on the rock with him – how could he get them back to shore without Graystripe's help? His best bet was still to push the mat over to Graystripe.

Again, Tinyclaw urged, "Stay still," to the little kits. He crept into the water once more, his back to the rock to keep the current from pushing him away. Carefully he pried the mat away from the rock, and it took every bit of energy he had to make sure the raft didn't go flying away from him and into deeper straits. The kits were flattened against the mat, terrified.

 _StarClan, Redtail, help me!_ Tinyclaw thought as he pushed the mat with his muzzle. Water rushed into him with each push, and water weighed heavily on his limbs. Exhaustion was dragging at him and it was becoming harder and harder to keep going.

He looked for Graystripe. To his relief, his friend was doing his best to follow without going in too deep. Graystripe was up to his belly in water as he sloshed forward, yowling and meowing so that Tinyclaw could pick him out from the gray waters.

Tinyclaw gave the mat a shove towards Graystripe, but with the current pushing it downstream it was slow going. Tinyclaw could feel the current growing stronger and stronger with every mouselength traveled, and his heart pounded in his ears at the thought of not being able to control the raft much longer.

"Hurry!" Graystripe was shouting. "It's getting bad!"

As he shouted a wave of water came from behind, pushing Tinyclaw under and the mat forward. The kits' squeals of terror followed Tinyclaw beneath the wave as he forced himself to the surface. Immediately, blinking water from his eyes and breathing heavily, he looked for the raft – it had been blown a few tail-lengths away and was caught up against another of the Sunningrocks. Tinyclaw breathed a small sigh of relief that at least the raft was closer to shore now.

Suddenly the kits squealed more. Tinyclaw's hurting eyes widened as he realized the mat was beginning to break up.

Tinyclaw let out a cry and surged forward – but he was too late. The mat broke to pieces beneath the tortoiseshell kit, and the small creature was plunged into the cold water.


	14. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

" _No!" snarled Graystripe._

Tinyclaw watched, fear striking him through, as Graystripe launched himself into the water. There was nothing that could be done now, though – there was still one kit clinging to the mat with all it had, mewling pitifully. Tinyclaw pushed himself towards them, grasped it in his teeth by the scruff, and kicked away for dry land.

He didn't stop until pebbles shored beneath his paws, and he could collapse onto the grass. The kit fell from his mouth, mewling pitifully. Tinyclaw spent the next few heartbeats catching his breath before he forced himself to his paws to look for Graystripe.

To his relief, Graystripe was already splashing out into the shallows, the tortoiseshell kit in his mouth. He was drenched from head to tail, but his eyes sparkled with determination. He put his kit down beside Tinyclaw's.

"Are they alive?" rasped Graystripe, breathing hard.

Tinyclaw peered at the kits. His vision was swimming, but he could see that they were both breathing, just very faintly. They lay still, fur slicked to their sides, and they were trembling with cold and fear.

"Thank StarClan," Tinyclaw breathed. "They're OK."

"For the most part," Graystripe comment. "We don't know if they're wounded at all."

"Well it won't matter if they freeze," Tinyclaw told him. "Let's get licking."

The two settled down and began licking the kits, gently rasping their fur the wrong way to get them dry and keep them warm. They twitched and coughed up a few mouthfuls of water, and then they began to breathe a lot easier. Tinyclaw felt relief wash over him like warm water.

"They're so young," Graystripe commented. "They need their mother."

Tinyclaw nodded in agreement. These kits were younger than Bluefur's. He pressed his nose into the dark kit between his paws and breathed in deep. The river water had washed off most of their scent, but deep down the smell of home was there.

"RiverClan," Tinyclaw reported. He was unsurprised – ThunderClan's camp was nowhere near the river, so kits had no reason to be anywhere near it. Besides, ThunderClan had no kits that looked like this.

Graystripe heaved a sigh. "We need to take them home," he commented. "Some mother is missing them."

Tinyclaw agreed, but looking across the river made all the energy Tinyclaw had left leave him. How could they cross such tumultuous waters? It had nearly killed the both of them just to save the kits! He wanted nothing more than the crawl into the warrior's den and sleep for a season.

Graystripe clearly felt the same. The kit between his paws, he forced himself to his paws. He meowed, "Come on, Tinyclaw – we have to try."

Tinyclaw sighed. "I hate it when you're right," he complained.

He got up to his paws and sighed again. "We can try the stepping-stones," he suggested. "It's the best place I can think of."

Graystripe nodded, clearly having no better ideas. Together they picked up the kits and began heading downstream.

The stepping-stones weren't far down, and Tinyclaw sighed a third time when he saw them. Without the floodwater, the stepping-stones were an easy path across the river, with jumps no farther than a tail-length. With the water now higher, the stepping-stones were covered completely, just visible beneath the rushing stream.

Yet, just as hope was lost, Tinyclaw and Graystripe spotted a dead tree, caught on the stepping-stones, possibly uprooted by the flooding. It's bark was all but stripped, and its branches were caught firmly within the stones.

The two warriors glanced at each other, sharing the same _Thank StarClan_ between them. Kits in their mouths, it was hard to communicate, but Tinyclaw went first.

He waded into the water until he could reach the tree. The kit wasn't enthused about being wet again, but didn't have the energy to protect. Quickly Tinyclaw hopped onto the tree, digging his claws in firmly as it twitched beneath him. The kit struggled, but quickly went limp.

Tinyclaw felt the tree shift as Graystripe got on, but it held their weight. Tinyclaw began to shuffle forward carefully, placing each paw deliberately. It was slow going, but the two warriors managed to get to the far end without losing the kits – or one another.

When they were both on the shore again, paws wet from the shallows, they set the kits down to catch their breath. Their pelts were ruffled from the branches on the tree, and Tinyclaw felt a few scratches in his skin. Graystripe looking fine, but waterlogged.

Graystripe gave his paw a lick, then spat, screwing up his face, "This water is _nasty."_

"At least the water will hide our scent," Tinyclaw remarked. "RiverClan shouldn't be able to tell who we are. We can just drop the kits off and -"

"And _what?"_ sneered a voice.

The bushes rustled, and suddenly three cats sprang out, claws unsheathed. A big tabby crashed into Graystripe, forcing him back into the shallows with a splash. It was Brambleclaw, and with him were Blackclaw and Leopardfur. Tinyclaw braced himself as Leopardfur charged straight for him.

" _Stop!"_ he shouted, but Leopardfur heard him too late – or not at all – and crashed into him.

With little energy to fight with, Tinyclaw threw himself at Leopardfur's mercy. He fell limp beneath her paws as she pinned him down and hissed, "What are you cretins doing in our territory?"

"Kits!"

Leopardfur looked up. "Blackclaw?" she wondered.

Blackclaw was standing over the two kits, his fur bristling. "My kits!" he growled. "These ThunderClan pieces of fox-dung stole my kits!"

"We did not!" spat Graystripe. Angry, the gray warrior thrust Brambleclaw off of him and into the shallows. Getting to his paws, Graystripe spat, "We _saved_ them!"

Leopardfur narrowed her eyes, then turned her narrow face to look at Tinyclaw. With her paws on his chest, he managed, "We're not trespassing – we spotted them in the river and went to save them."

"It's true, Leopardfur," Brambleclaw meowed. He had gotten to his paws and was near the kits. "These are Tawnypelt's missing kits."

 _Tawnypelt's?_ Tinyclaw felt like he ought to have known, but he felt much better that he had saved her kits. _She must be worried sick!_

Leopardfur got off of Tinyclaw. "Don't get any ideas, ThunderClan," she snarled. "We'll see what Crookedstar has to say about you stealing these kits."

"We rescued them, we told you!" Graystripe growled.

"We'll see if _Crookedstar_ believes you," Leopardfur snapped back, her neck fur bristling. "Now get up and come on."

Tinyclaw got to his paws and was joined by Graystripe. Brambleclaw picked up a kit while Blackclaw took the other, and the RiverClan cats surrounded them with Leopardfur in the lead. The RiverClan deputy led them into the reeds with a quick pace, giving no quarter for her captive's beleaguered state.

Within a few moments they had reached the camp – but it was empty, and Tinyclaw could see that the small streams that separated it from the rest of the dry land had grown to nearly swallow all of it. Leopardfur's hackles rose.

"The flood's gotten worse," she murmured.

"Leopardfur!" called a deep voice. "Up here!"

The patrol turned their heads, and Graystripe and Tinyclaw copied them. Up high, in the bushes were Tinyclaw had met with Tawnypelt, was Crookedstar. The tabby tom was large, just as large as Tigerstar, his jaw slacked and crooked but his eyes scrutinizing. He was soaked.

Leopardfur led the patrol and their charges up the hill and into the bushes. Between the fronds, Tinyclaw could see the rest of RiverClan settled, all of them wet and tired. Sympathy pierced Tinyclaw's heart as he realized their camp was no longer livable.

"The camp flooded," Crookedstar reported quietly. "We had to move."

His eyes flashed to Graystripe and Tinyclaw, just as RiverClan cats began appearing from the bushes. Their eyes were narrowed in suspicion. One of them was Silverstream, who kept her gaze carefully neutral as she moved to sit beside her father. She was soaked, too, and Graystripe twitched when he saw her.

"ThunderClan spies?" Crookedstar guessed. "As if we hadn't enough trouble!"

"They found Tawnypelt's kits," Leopardfur explained. "At least, they claim to have." At the mention of the kits, Silverstream's ears pricked. She moved over to Brambleclaw and gave the tortoiseshell a little sniff. Then, she turned and loped into the bushes.

"They stole them!" Blackclaw insisted, his kit at his paws. "I _know_ it! You can't trust ThunderClan!"

Crookedstar stepped forward and gave the kits a sniff himself. Both were waterlogged, but were beginning to recover from their ordeal. They were sitting up, eyes tightly shut. They made small squeaking noises as Crookedstar looked them over.

"Tawnypelt's kits went missing when the camp flooded," Crookedstar rumbled. His pale gaze crossed over Graystripe and Tinyclaw. "What happened?"

Tinyclaw shifted on his paws, tired of his going-around. He grumbled, his temper short, "We _flew_ across the river and grabbed them with our talons."

Crookedstar curled his lip and was about to grumble something back when a yowling interrupted them. Crookedstar stood up and moved as Tawnypelt burst out of the bushes, her entire being bristling with relief.

"My kits!" she purred.

Tawnypelt made a beeline for the kits, pushing every cat out of the way as she went. When she reached them she curled around them immediately, wrapping her thick tail around her wet babies. The kits mewled gratefully as Tawnypelt licked each of them. Her eyes were shining with love and worry as she tried comforting them both at once.

Brambleclaw and Blackclaw each twitched an ear before settling beside her, brother and mate, to comfort the one they both cared for.

Tawnypelt's commotion had drawn out Goldenflower, who was accompanied by Silverstream. Silverstream went again to sit beside her father, avoiding Graystripe and Tinyclaw altogether as she settled beside Crookedstar. Goldenflower was wobbly, but she sat down too.

The elder wasn't the only one drawn out – the rest of the Clan gathered around. Mudfur, the RiverClan medicine cat, was edging closer to the kits but was clearly willing to give Tawnypelt her space. All of them were soaked through and looked thin and hungry, with ribs poking through on most of them. Tinyclaw felt a stab of sympathy for all of them.

That sympathy was washed over by caution – despite their appearance, all of them were clearly hostile towards Graystripe and Tinyclaw, looking at them with suspicion and malice. They would have to work hard to convince Crookedstar the kits weren't stolen.

He seemed willing to listen, at least: "Tell me what happened," Crookedstar offered.

Tinyclaw began at the beginning, when he had spotted the kits in the river. He had gotten to where he had pushed the kits on the mat when Blackclaw interrupted:

"Why are we listening to this?" the black tom hissed. "Since when have ThunderClan cats risked their lives for us?"

"Let him speak," Crookedstar rumbled. "We'll find out soon enough if he's lying."

"He's not," Tawnypelt insisted. Her amber eyes were hard as she meowed, "Why would ThunderClan steal kits when all the Clans are finding it hard to feed themselves?"

"His story makes sense," Silverstream added coolly. To Tinyclaw, she explained, "We had to abandon the camp and shelter up here when the flooding began. Not everyone was evacuated, and when we went back the kits were gone, along with the bottom of the nursery. The stream connects to the river and the flow's all messed up, so the mat must have been washed down to where you found them."

Crookedstar was nodding, to Tinyclaw's relief. He seemed to be believing them, and as his hostility faded so did the hostility of the others – except for Blackclaw, who glared at Tinyclaw and Graystripe with suspicion.

 _There's one in every Clan, I suppose,_ Tinyclaw thought.

"If that's the case, then we're grateful," Crookedstar offered grudgingly. He looked at the ThunderClan cats and dipped his head.

"Yes," Tawnypelt agreed. Her eyes were filled with gratitude. "Without you I wouldn't have ever seen my kits again."

Tinyclaw dipped his head. He looked at the other RiverClan cats, how thin and gaunt they were. Almost without control, he blurted, "You're all finding it so hard to feed yourselves – is there anything we can do to help?"

Crookedstar narrowed his eyes. "We need no help. RiverClan can feed ours -"

"Oh, stuff it Crookedstar," rasped Goldenflower.

The entire Clan looked at the pretty elder as she stepped forward. Her yellow eyes were hard as she meowed, "You've always been too proud for your own good. Feeding ourselves during this thaw was going to be hard enough – it always is, every time – but the river is practically poisoned. You _know_ it is!"

"Poisoned?" repeated Graystripe. "How?"

"Those wretched Twolegs!" Goldenflower growled. She lashed her striped tail. "Before they came, the river was clean and full of fish, but throughout greenleaf they poisoned the water with their rubbish!"

"She's right," Mudfur agreed, nodding grimly. "The fish are poisoned – cats that eat them get sick. I've treated more bellyaches this leaf-bare than I've ever had to before."

Tinyclaw shared a look with Graystripe, then he looked out at the RiverClan cats. They wouldn't meet his eyes, heads bowed in shame at their weakness. Tinyclaw could see how hungry and tired they were, and he could image how hard land prey must be to get in an area like this, especially with the flood.

"Let us help," Tinyclaw urged. He knew it would be hard for them to accept it, but they needed outside help. "We'll catch prey for you in our territory and bring it to you until the floods are gone and the river is clean."

The moment he made the offer, his brain suddenly realize just how _foolish_ it was – it was taking the warrior code and snapping it in half, the mouse atop the fresh-kill pile that was all the trouble Tinyclaw and Graystripe had gotten into. Tigerstar would be furious if he found out, and it could mean the end of Tinyclaw's life in ThunderClan.

And yet, even as he thought that, he realized that the rigid ways that some cats followed the code drove them to do bad things – like Bluefur, who would twist the code's words to suit her needs. He had vowed to be nothing like her, and if it meant breaking the warrior code so a Clan could survive, then so be it.

 _There need to be four Clans,_ Tinyclaw thought. _It's the balance in the forest, the four trees at Fourtrees, the four seasons. If one leaves, what will happen to the rest of us?_ When WindClan had been driven out the Clans had vied for their territory – with RiverClan gone, what would happen then?

"Would you really do this?" Crookedstar wondered, eyes narrowing. "For us, an enemy Clan?"

"Yes," Tinyclaw said firmly, plating the promise like a paw.

"I'll help too," Graystripe promised, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with Tinyclaw. Tinyclaw glanced at his friend and felt warmth in Graystripe's yellow eyes. _You won't do this alone,_ his eyes said. _Friends until the end._

Silverstream couldn't hide the glow of hope in her eyes. Beside her, Crookedstar meowed, "Then the Clan thanks you. None of my cats will challenge you in our territory until the waters recede, but after that we will fend for and defend ourselves again."

He turned away, leading his cats through the bushes. His subdued Clan cast glances back at Tinyclaw and Graystripe, and both could see that not all of RiverClan believed their promise. Last was Tawnypelt, who brushed her muzzle against both cats.

"Thank you for this," she meowed quietly. "Without you I would never have seen my kits, and without you my Clan would be worse for wear. I will never forget this."

She turned away, not waiting for a reply. When her dappled tail disappeared into the bushes, Tinyclaw and Graystripe turned away and silently climbed down the slope. Quietly, they headed for the river again.

When they were at its shores, Graystripe breathed, "What have we done?"

Tinyclaw could feel his heart fluttering with worry, and when he looked at Graystripe he saw his friend trembling.

 _This could destroy us if the wrong cats find out,_ Tinyclaw thought. He imagined what Darkstripe might do with the news. _If_ any _cat finds out. And yet…_

He nudged Graystripe.

"The right thing," he answered.


	15. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

 _The morning was cold and_ gray when Tinyclaw dragged himself out of his nest. Quietly, he padded over to Graystripe and prodded his friend awake with still-sleepy paws.

"Blurp… ah… Wha?" Graystripe mumbled incoherently. His eyes opened, slimy with sleep. He shut them tight again and curled up closer to himself, wrapping his tail tight over his nose. "Go away," he grumbled. "I'm tired."

 _I'm tired, too,_ Tinyclaw thought. Every muscle burned and he resisted the urge to go back to sleep. Instead, he lowered his head to Graystripe's ear and hissed, "You need to get up – we need to hunt for RiverClan."

At that, a shudder ran through Graystripe's lengthy pelt and he opened his eyes. Graystripe yawned, then got up to his paws. Tinyclaw licked his friend on the shoulder, knowing that the two of them felt the same – hunting for RiverClan as well as their own Clan was tiring, especially since their task needed to be done in the earliest hours.

 _We've been lucky, though,_ Tinyclaw thought. No one had caught them the past few days, and if any cat suspected, they gave no sign.

Tinyclaw stretched, and then he looked around the den. There were a few warriors awake on the dawn patrol, but otherwise the den was full of sleeping warriors. Whitestorm and Oakheart were sleeping in the center, just mounds of colored fur. They were safe for now.

Carefully, the two warriors picked their way out of the den and into the clearing. The air was crisp and moist, a thin layer of fog lying over the grass. Tinyclaw had almost thought every cat was still asleep – then Brindleface poked her head out of the nursery to sniff the air. She retreated.

The coast was clear. Tinyclaw turned to Graystripe and meowed, "We can go now."

Graystripe nodded, still shaking scraps of moss off of his fur. He gave his leg one last twitch before stepping up to Tinyclaw's side. Together they bounded across the clearing, heading for the gorse tunnel – but before they could reach it, they were stopped by a mew.

"Tinyclaw!"

Tinyclaw and Graystripe skidded to a halt, then turned to find that Cloudkit was sitting just outside the nursery. Her eyes were bright and awake, her pelt freshly-groomed. She looked up at Tinyclaw and Graystripe with wide eyes.

"Where are you two going?" she wondered. "Can I come?"

Graystripe grumbled into Tinyclaw's ear, "Your kin sure knows how to show up at the worst times!"

Tinyclaw nudged Graystripe, then stepped forward to address Cloudkit. "Shouldn't you be asleep?" he wondered.

"Bluefur's kits woke me up," Cloudkit explained. "They're noisy in the morning, but I'm used to it. Anyway," she mewed, bouncing to her paws, "what're _you_ up to?"

"Just, uh," Tinyclaw's brain wasn't working well in this early morning.

"Is it a secret?" Cloudkit wondered.

"Yes," Graystripe grumbled. "Especially from nosy kits."

Cloudkit didn't look offended by the comment. Her plumy tail stuck straight up and she crowed, "I'll be an _apprentice_ soon! I'm bigger than Ashkit and Fernkit!"

" 'Soon' isn't now, Cloudkit," Tinyclaw told her. "You know kits can't go out of the camp right now. Graystripe and I need to get going."

"Is your mission urgent?" Cloudkit wondered, tipping her head.

"Yes," Tinyclaw insisted, "and also _secret –_ can you keep secrets?"

Cloudkit nodded vigorously.

"Good," Tinyclaw praised. "Now, if you're good and quiet about this, I'll take you out for some hunting practice, OK?"

Cloudkit's eyes shone like the sky. "R-Really?" she breathed.

Tinyclaw nodded. "Yes," he promised. _StarClan willing, I'll have the energy…_ "Now, keep quiet and go get some fresh-kill for Brindleface and Bluefur. I'm sure they're hungry, yeah?"

Cloudkit nodded again. Then, she suggested, "Can I get some for the elders, too?"

"Of course," Tinyclaw told her.

"OK," Cloudkit chirped. "I'll see you later, then! Good luck!"

She turned away and headed for the fresh-kill pile. Tinyclaw watched her go, making sure she picked out something nice. Graystripe nudged him.

"Come on," he grunted. "We need to get going, before the whole camp wakes up."

Tinyclaw nodded, and the two headed for the gorse tunnel. On the way, Graystripe sighed: "Just our luck, right? I hope she doesn't go telling everyone about our special mission."

"I trust her," Tinyclaw insisted. "She might be bratty sometimes but she's got a good heart. She won't tell if I promised to take her out for practice."

"I hope so," Graystripe sighed.

 _Me, too,_ Tinyclaw thought.

* * *

Together they headed for the stepping-stones. The fallen tree was still caught up on them, making a safe way to cross – and hunting near their access to RiverClan territory ensured them a short trip. They were also less likely to be caught this way.

Yet the wind carried the smell of rain, and Tinyclaw figured that any sensible prey would be holed up in its den. Tinyclaw opened his jaws and caught the scent of squirrel. He signaled to Graystripe.

The critter was huddled up near a tree, nibbling at some seeds. Tinyclaw and Graystripe surrounded it on both sides, knowing that if it got spooked it would shoot up the tree. Together they closed in on it, low to the ground and light-of-paw, before leaping for the kill.

Graystripe managed to catch it first, pinning it and killing it. Tinyclaw landed a tail-length short. "Good thing I've got longer legs, eh?" Graystripe commented.

"Ha ha," Tinyclaw grumbled, shaking the moist dirt off his paws. "How is it?"

Graystripe gave it a lick. "Old and stringy," he assessed, "but it'll do."

"Then let's hurry and get some more," Tinyclaw decided, "before the rain comes in."

They continued their hunt until they'd scraped together a rabbit and some mice. Their catch was threatening to be too much to carry over the log in one go, so they stopped hunting and headed for the stepping-stones. The sky was getting grayer by the moment, and any time it seemed that rain would pour down upon them.

Crossing the log felt no better now than it did the first time. Tinyclaw felt so exposed and vulnerable, especially with prey in his mouth. Any cat could come by and see them, even with their dark pelts. Tinyclaw and Graystripe focused on their paws and kept clear of the branches at the RiverClan end as they finally crossed, splashing down onto the RiverClan side of the river.

"Welcome," meowed a cat, carefully.

Tinyclaw turned – alarm died in him as he spotted Leopardfur. The RiverClan deputy must have been on watch for them, as she kinked her tail for them to follow. Tinyclaw and Graystripe padded after her as her dappled pelt disappeared into the tall grasses.

Leopardfur led the way to RiverClan's temporary shelter in the bushes. The warriors had managed to scrape out a measly camp for their Clanmates, small shelters in the bushes to shield them from the wind and rain. Most of them looked up when Tinyclaw and Graystripe came in, and Brambleclaw met them at the edge of the makeshift camp.

"More fresh-kill?" Brambleclaw guessed. Silverstream appeared just behind him. "Wonderful!"

"Elders and queens first," Leopardfur insisted.

Together they placed their catch down with the RiverClan cats. Their fresh-kill pile was meager, but growing, and Tinyclaw felt a little pride at being part of their recovery. Silverstream nudged out a fish and suggested, "I'll take this to the elders."

She looked up and turned her gaze onto Graystripe. "You," she suggested, "come with me, and bring that rabbit."

Tinyclaw felt alarm course through him. Surely they wouldn't risk spending so much time together, out in the open like this? Silverstream had kept her distance before.

But Leopardfur looked approving of it. "Good," she decided. "Tinyclaw, you take that squirrel and go with Brambleclaw to check on the queens. I'll divide the rest of it."

Tinyclaw nodded, still dazed. He grabbed the squirrel and followed Brambleclaw through the bushes, reflecting on how strange it was to follow this RiverClan warrior and know that he was half ThunderClan. Brambleclaw didn't know of course, neither did his sister, but Tinyclaw felt the strangest way of it.

Tawnypelt was huddled in the makeshift nursery, her four kits nursing at her side. She looked tired, but her eyes brightened when she saw the fresh-kill. With her was Mosspelt, another queen, and together they split the squirrel. Tinyclaw watched them eat, grateful to see that both of them – and the kits – were all right.

But the day was nagging on, and Tinyclaw had to ask Brambleclaw, "We need to get going before we're missed; where's Graystripe?"

Brambleclaw nodded in understanding. "This way," he mewed. The big tabby got up and led Tinyclaw across the bushes again, to another low, well-sheltered spot of the makeshift camp. The elders were there, huddled together under a willow. They were sharing the rabbit and fish, and even though bones were visible in their pelts they seemed happy.

Graystripe and Silverstream were sitting on the slope above the elder's den. They were close, but not too close, and it seemed as if they were doing their best not to twine their tails together. Brambleclaw let Tinyclaw go, heading for the warriors, and as soon as he was gone Graystripe and Silverstream sprang to their paws and met Tinyclaw.

"What is it?" Tinyclaw wondered, looking at the two of them. Though they looked thoroughly pleased, their eyes shining, Tinyclaw couldn't help but feel apprehension dragging at his pelt like burrs. _Why are they so happy?_

"Tinyclaw," Graystripe breathed, his voice high and happy, "great news!"

"What is it…?" Tinyclaw asked, his voice low and full of a horrible knowing.

"You won't believe this," Graystripe said, giddy from head to paw. He managed to keep his voice down, though, as he said, "Silverstream is having kits!"


	16. Chapter 14

**I know you guys are used to a BoT to come with this, but I can't manage that this week since BoT's buffer is too small for my liking.**

* * *

 **Chapter 14**

 _Tinyclaw stared at the two,_ horrified. He looked between them, too stunned to speak. Graystripe's eyes were glowing, and Silverstream was quivering with excitement and pride. To himself, Tinyclaw wondered how he hadn't been able to tell before – Silverstream had been looking a little fuller than her Clanmates, but he figured it was because of her build. Now that he knew the truth, he wished it wasn't so.

"K-Kits…?" Tinyclaw finally managed. He focused on them and meowed, "Are you both out of your _minds?"_

Graystripe's eyes flashed, and Silverstream pinned an ear. Obviously it wasn't the reaction they had been expecting from him. They looked at each other, and then back at Tinyclaw. It was Graystripe who spoke, but he did not meet Tinyclaw's eyes: "These kits will bind us together forever. Isn't that… isn't that a good thing?"

' _Isn't that a good thing', he says!_ Tinyclaw thought. He dug his claws into the soft earth. Doing his best to keep his voice low, he meowed, "Graystripe, did you forget that you two come from _different Clans?_ You'll never be able to claim these kits as your own, and Silverstream won't ever be able to tell them or her Clan who their father is! Think about how these kits will grow up, not knowing their father!"

" _I'll_ know," Silverstream countered, as Graystripe seemed to look ever _further_ away from Tinyclaw. "That's what matters."

Tinyclaw narrowed his eyes at her. "Those kits will be constantly questioning who their father is and where they came from." He recalled Cloudkit, and how she reacted to learning the truth of her origins. "They might grow up bitter because of it, and when they do find out the truth they might hate you and Graystripe for what you did! That's not even considering what the Clan will do if they find out – Crookedstar might be your father, Silverstream, but even he knows the warrior code, and the Clan won't just turn a blind eye if he doesn't follow it!"

Silverstream's chest fur fluffed up, and she looked rather offended. Her blue eyes burned, and she growled, "If you think that Crookedstar, _my father,_ would even _think_ of banishing me, you've -"

Graystripe cut her off. He butted his head into her shoulder. "Silverstream," he murmured, "he's just worried for us."

"Yes, but -!" Silverstream began, exasperated. She looked between Graystripe and Tinyclaw, the whites of her eyes showing. Then, she pinned her ears and relaxed herself with a great sigh. "I know," she breathed. "I _know."_

"It's so stupid," Graystripe hissed. He looked up from Silverstream, his yellow eyes burning. "Our kits should be able to know who their father is. No kit should go without that knowledge!" Looking exhausted, Graystripe murmured, "We haven't done anything _wrong…"_

Tinyclaw sheathed his claws and stepped forward. "I know," he breathed. _You just fell in love,_ he thought. _You shouldn't be punished for that._ "But the Clans… they won't see it that way. These kits will be RiverClan."

Inside, he couldn't imagine the turmoil Graystripe would face in the future. Now he would be the one looking across the river, wondering how his kits were doing. Now he would be in battle for Sunningrocks, wondering if the RiverClan warrior he was biting would turn out to be his kit. Now he was torn between Clan and kin, home and blood, and Tinyclaw feared it would rip him to pieces.

 _He's finally realizing the gravity of the situation,_ Tinyclaw thought soberly, _but this isn't how I wanted him to come to terms with it._

Briefly he thought of Tawnypelt and Brambleclaw, and their ThunderClan father. Had he ever wondered, worried, looked for them? Did he know about them at all? In battle, did he give Brambleclaw the nick in his ear, or the scar on Tawnypelt's flank? During Gatherings, did he look for them?

Tinyclaw pushed the thoughts out of his head. The sky was growing lighter, and over the river he knew that ThunderClan was waking up. He meowed, "We can talk about this later… but we need to head back to camp before we're missed."

Graystripe nodded. He turned to Silverstream and pressed his muzzle against hers. "He's right, we need to be going." After a pause, he meowed, "Don't worry, my love; they'll be the most beautiful kits in the forest."

Silverstream purred. She meowed, "I know. We'll find a way through this. Together."

Tinyclaw let them have a moment – thankfully he didn't need to wait long. Graystripe parted from his mate, and joined Tinyclaw at the shoulder. He nodded to Tinyclaw, and the two of them padded through the bushes without another word.

Yet as they walked, Graystripe couldn't hide how he looked back, again and again. Worry was a cold stone in Tinyclaw's stomach – how long could this go on, before someone found out?

* * *

"I think we ought to hunt for a bit," Graystripe offered as they stepped off of the fallen log and onto ThunderClan territory. Tinyclaw kicked water from his paws, while Graystripe didn't bother. "It'll dry us off and we can at least say we were hunting."

"I suppose," Tinyclaw breathed. Anxiety weighed heavy, keeping his tail low. Yet he forced the thoughts from his mind, scrambling for something to tell the Clan about their absence. Coming back with prey might not be enough – they had lingered too long in RiverClan territory. "We can try near the Owl -"

"Tinyclaw! Tinyclaw!"

"Oh, StarClan," cursed Graystripe.

Tinyclaw pricked his ears, his heart in his throat. Cloudkit was bounding through the soggy bracken, eyes bright and white tail perked up. She skidded to a halt, breathing heavily, her pelt streaked with mud.

"C-Cloudkit?!" Tinyclaw breathed. "W-What are you doing here?"

"I spotted… Darkstripe!" Cloudkit panted. "H-He's coming this way, with Oakheart and W-Whitestorm!"

Panic seized Tinyclaw's muscles, and Graystripe let out a hiss of frustration. If he could have cursed in front of a kit, he would have. Tinyclaw asked, "What are you doing out here?"

Cloudkit seemed to be getting her breath back. "You said it was a secret mission, right?" Tinyclaw nodded in reply. Cloudkit meowed, "Well, I saw Darkstripe just before you left. He was _listening!_ I don't know if he was supposed to, but he did and he went and waited for Whitestorm and Oakheart to come back from their patrols. I listened in, I listened real good, they didn't see me – when I heard that they were coming to find you, I ran as fast as I could. I tracked you! And, and…"

She took a breath, her eyes glazing over the river and Tinyclaw's damp paws. "And what were you two _doing?"_

"That's what _we'd_ like to know."

Tinyclaw froze. Just up the slope stood Whitestorm and Oakheart, and beside them like a dark shadow was Darkstripe, grinning a secret grin. Whitestorm and Oakheart padded down the slope and Darkstripe followed, looking haughty and proud.

"I _told_ you they were up to no good," Darkstripe purred on his way.

Whitestorm and Oakheart ignored him, and Tinyclaw smiled a secret smile when Darkstripe looked hurt. The three warriors stopped before Tinyclaw and Graystripe. Oakheart narrowed his eyes.

"What were you two doing over the river?" Whitestorm asked.

Graystripe opened his jaws, "We -"

"They were on a mission!" Cloudkit burst. She rushed before them, as if to protect them. "A secret warrior mission!"

Oakheart and Whitestorm glanced at one another, looking confused. Then, Oakheart turned back and said, "I don't remember hearing about this. You?"

Whitestorm shook his head.

Darkstripe rolled his eyes. "Oh please, they're _lying,_ " he scoffed. Narrowing his eyes, he growled, "That kittypet is a traitor, and so is his friend."

Cloudkit lashed her tail. "They were spying on RiverClan!" she spat.

"Spying, eh?" Whitestorm repeated. Cloudkit nodded, and Whitestorm sighed. "Little one, ThunderClan does not spy on its enemies."

Cloudkit flopped onto her haunches and grumbled, "Maybe we _should…"_

 _Cloudkit, please,_ Tinyclaw thought. _I love you, but don't say anything more…_

"We were checking to see how far the floods went," Graystripe offered, now that he had a chance. Tinyclaw glanced at him. It wasn't a total lie, really. But would they buy it?

"Who sent you?" Oakheart wondered. "Neither of us did."

Tinyclaw scuffled his paws. "We… wanted to do it without being told," he offered. "We were going to hunt afterward!"

"Likely story!" Darkstripe snarled. He stepped forward, thrusting his muzzle right into Tinyclaw's face. "You want to know what _I_ think?"

"No, not really," Tinyclaw growled.

" _I_ think these two were spying _for_ RiverClan!" Darkstripe spat. "Why else sneak off so early, why else make up such blatant lies? I think this _kittypet_ is nothing but a traitor and -"

"Enough, Darkstripe," Whitestorm growled. "Tigerstar will decide their punishment, and whether or not their story is the truth."

Darkstripe frowned, but stepped back. Tinyclaw resisted the urge to stick his tongue out at the dark tom.

"And you, little one," Oakheart meowed, looking at Cloudkit. "You know that kits aren't allowed outside of camp alone."

"I know," Cloudkit mumbled.

"Come," Whitestorm meowed. "We'll settle this back at the camp."

* * *

When they arrived, Tigerstar was sitting below the Highrock. The meager remains of his meal was between his paws, and he was speaking with Mousefur and Longtail. As they drew closer, their conversation became clear:

"… if the waters don't go down before the Gathering," Longtail was saying, "we might not be able to make it."

"I see," Tigerstar rumbled. His eyes flashed, catching on Whitestorm. "Thank you. You're dismissed."

Longtail and Mousefur padded away, Brightpaw following. Whitestorm and Oakheart took their place, Tinyclaw and Graystripe and Cloudkit trailing behind. Darkstripe was there too, but Tinyclaw preferred not to even acknowledge the warrior's presence at the moment.

"What's this?" Tigerstar wondered.

"It's complicated," Whitestorm meowed. "The least complicated of it, however, is that Cloudkit was found outside of camp alone."

"I see," Tigerstar meowed. He looked at Cloudkit. "Cloudkit," he meowed gently, but sternly. "You know what I said about kits going outside of camp – a Clan leader's word is law. You must be punished, do you understand?"

Cloudkit nodded. "Yes," she meowed.

"Go help the elders," Tigerstar decided. "It's a task that needs doing, and you seem to enjoy it at least. You will bring them food, clean their bedding, and check their pelts for ticks, just as any apprentice would. Understand?"

"Ticks?" Cloudkit repeated. To Tinyclaw's knowledge, she hadn't done that sort of work before.

Tigerstar nodded. "Ticks," he repeated. "Now go."

Cloudkit sighed and padded off, her tail low. Tinyclaw glanced her way. He would speak with her later, if Tigerstar left him with any means to do so after this.

"Now," Tigerstar meowed, "what's all this about?" He sat up, adjusting his great paws beneath him.

"These two were found near the RiverClan border, by the stepping-stones," Oakheart reported. "They claimed to be checking how far the flooding had gone, but neither of us had sent them to do so."

"They were _spying_ , I tell you," Darkstripe hissed. "Spying!"

"… Darkstripe insists they were spying for RiverClan," Oakheart added, his tone betraying how little faith he had in the claim.

Tigerstar's tail flicked. "Very well," he rumbled. "You may go – Tinyclaw, Graystripe, you two stay. I want an explanation for this."

Whitestorm and Oakheart padded off without another word. Darkstripe lingered a moment, glaring at Tinyclaw, before heading for the warrior's den. Tinyclaw hoped he would be sulking for the rest of the day.

"Now," Tigerstar meowed when they were gone, "tell me what really happened."

Graystripe opened his jaws, but Tinyclaw interrupted. He began, "You see…" He explained about the kits they'd found in the river, and how they'd saved them. Then, he told Tigerstar about returning them and finding RiverClan in such a sorry state.

"Their camp was underwater," Graystripe explained. "They couldn't go back to it, so they were hiding in some bushes."

"The flooding had poisoned their fish and scared off most of the prey," Tinyclaw added. "We couldn't just leave them to starve, so we offered to hunt for them until they got back on their paws. We hunted for ThunderClan, too – twice as hard! But we could just leave them to die."

Tigerstar narrowed his eyes. "I see," he rumbled.

He was silent for a long moment. Then he sighed and meowed, "What you did was noble – your intentions were good. But you both broke the warrior code in a way that cannot be ignored."

"But we were -"

Graystripe was cut off. "You were hunting for _another Clan,"_ Tigerstar growled, "and that is very much against the warrior code. A Clan should be able to sustain and keep itself without outside help, unless under extreme circumstances. RiverClan's territory has flooded before, and they've handled it before – they did not need your help."

Tinyclaw doubted Graystripe saw it that way, but Tinyclaw knew that Tigerstar had a point. RiverClan had to have dealt with floods every newleaf and the lack of prey it brought, and they had to have survived.

"Not only that, but you two lied," Tigerstar meowed. "Not just to Oakheart or Whitestorm, but to me as well. You could have told me about what had happened, instead of diving in yourselves. You've broken more than one tenant of the warrior code this time, and I will _not_ let that go unpunished."

Tinyclaw winced at his tone, and at the way he curled his lip in disappointment. It was one of the worst feelings he'd ever felt, seeing that Tigerstar had so little faith in him.

"We're sorry," Graystripe offered. "We were just trying to do the right thing."

"Feeling sorry isn't always enough," Tigerstar growled. "If 'sorry' was enough to pardon all the crimes committed in the Clans' seasons, we would be in a very different place. Since you two cannot seem to remember how to be warriors, then you shall be treated like apprentices until you recall. You will clean dens, tend to the elders, and when you hunt you will be supervised."

"Supervised?" Tinyclaw repeated.

"Yes," Tigerstar meowed seriously. "If you cannot be trusted to go out alone you will be sent with someone who can, and you will be sent again and again until I see that you are worthy of being considered warriors. There will be no more visits to RiverClan."

Graystripe was appalled. "But… we… we won't _be_ 'paws again, will we?"

"No," Tigerstar meowed. "A leaf cannot return to the bud from whence it came – but you will sleep in the apprentice's den and be treated as they are until I say so. Is that clear?"

"Yes," Tinyclaw sighed. _At least it's better than being banished,_ he thought. _If Bluefur were deputy right now she'd be howling for it._

"We're really sorry," Graystripe offered again.

"I know," Tigerstar meowed. "But we are done here. Graystripe, you may go. Tinyclaw – stay a moment."

Graystripe sighed and muttered, "See you in the apprentice's den, I guess…" before padding off with his tail low. Tinyclaw sighed and turned to Tigerstar.

"What is it?" Tinyclaw wondered. _Is there some further punishment for me?_

Tigerstar's eyes did not meet his. Tinyclaw was stunned – was this the first time that had ever happened? When Graystripe was out of earshot, Tigerstar murmured, "Tell me, Tinyclaw – have any RiverClan cats died in the flooding?"

Tinyclaw blinked. "No, not that I'm aware," he replied. "The kits came close, but Graystripe and I rescued them."

"Good," Tigerstar rumbled. He was still looking away from Tinyclaw. "Find Graystripe and tell him that you can eat. Your duties start tomorrow."

Tigerstar got to his paws and padded away, round the Highrock. Tinyclaw looked after him, stunned and confused. Only when the tiger-striped tail of his leader disappeared did Tinyclaw dare to wonder just why Tigerstar had been so concerned about RiverClan warriors dying.


	17. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

" _Well, well… if it isn't_ our newest apprentices, Tinypaw and Graypaw!"

"Shut _up_ , Longtail," Tinyclaw snarled. "Unless you want another nicked ear."

Longtail lashed his tail and frowned. "Done eating?" he growled, eyes burning with anger. "We've got a training session."

Tinyclaw glanced at Graystripe. The gray warrior was just finishing off his shrew, while Tinyclaw's meal – a vole – had been demolished before Longtail had swaggered over. Graystripe, in his displeasure with their 'mentor', was purposefully taking his time.

 _How in StarClan did Longtail end up being picked as our mentor?_ Tinyclaw wondered. If Bluefur were more active in her deputy duties, she might have picked Darkstripe if not to give him another chance to kill Tinyclaw – but Longtail must have been chosen by Whitestorm or Oakheart, cats who weren't truly aware of the resentment between Longtail and Tinyclaw.

Graystripe polished off his shrew, and he and Tinyclaw got to their paws. Graystripe took a moment to wash his whiskers while Tinyclaw asked, "Where are we going?"

"Hunting," Longtail replied with a sneer, "if you still remember how that is."

Tinyclaw rolled his eyes. It was bad enough that they had to sleep in the apprentice's den – now they had Longtail lording over them like the bully he wished he could have been. _It's going to be a long hunting session…_

"Let's get going then," Tinyclaw decided gruffly. "The sooner the better."

"Lead the way, kittypet," Longtail jeered.

Tinyclaw narrowed his ice-blue eyes at the pale tom, making sure to make his gaze as full of vitriol as possible. Longtail flinched, and Tinyclaw growled, "Call me _kittypet_ again – see what happens."

Longtail did his best to smooth his fur, but he was shaken for the moment. Tinyclaw and Graystripe led the way out of camp, Longtail following behind. In the lead, the two did their best not to snigger as they headed out of camp.

Out in the open, however, Longtail did his best to be as noisy as possible. Though Tinyclaw and Graystripe were doing everything they could to ignore him, Longtail certainly didn't hesitate to suggest hunting spots that were _far_ better than what his 'apprentices' had picked, or techniques that were _just so much more effective_ than what Tinyclaw or Graystripe tried.

It didn't help that the day was dreary, either – a cold, thin rain was falling and blanketing the entire forest in a sea of gray and mist. The sky was gray, the ferns were gray, the _world_ was gray, and it only seemed to make Longtail's comments brighter. Prey was hard to find and Longtail's vocal nonsense was possibly half the reason why.

Tinyclaw was about to give up when Graystripe spotted a sparrow pecking near a hazel bush. The patrol stopped as Graystripe dropped into a crouch, approaching paw by paw. Graystripe's haunches wiggled, and he prepared to leap…

"Call _that_ a crouch?" crowed Longtail, loud and clear. The sparrow chirped and fluttered away, leaving Graystripe to look back at Longtail with anger in his yellow eyes. "A kit can do better!"

" _Enough!"_ Tinyclaw snarled. He thrust his muzzle into Longtail's face and growled, "We haven't had sight of prey since we left camp and the moment we find something, you go off and scare it away? What sort of game do you think you're playing, you mouse-brained dolt?"

Longtail was stunned, eyes wide, staring down at a black cat half his size.

Tinyclaw curled his lip and spat, "Perhaps Tigerstar ought to know of your efforts to sabotage our hunting – maybe _you'll_ be sleeping with us in the apprentice's den tonight!"

"I-I…"

"Are you going to shut up?" Tinyclaw growled.

Longtail nodded.

"Good," Tinyclaw decided. He stepped away, sighing. "Maybe _now_ we can bring back some prey for the Clan!" He looked around. "Not around here, though – we've made too much noise. Let's try near Tallpines."

Longtail said nothing, but pushed his way through the bracken. Graystripe's whiskers twitched.

"He looks like you made him swallow mouse bile," he chuckled.

"I know," Tinyclaw breathed. It felt good to put Longtail in his place. "But we should get going."

Graystripe nodded, and he and Tinyclaw followed Longtail through the bushes. Along the way, Tinyclaw felt his paws prickle with unease – the way he had responded to Longtail, with such anger, ready to attack, bothered him.

 _I'm trying to keep myself from letting my temper get the best of me,_ he told himself. It had been an issue ever since his apprentice days with Bluefur and her violent training methods. _I've been doing so well, too…_

 _I can't let it hold me, not if I'm going to stop Bluefur._

 _I won't be like her. Ever!_

* * *

When they returned to camp every cat in the patrol had fresh-kill in their mouths. Their luck had turned around in Tallpines, and they had a respectable pile of fresh-kill to show for their efforts.

As they dragged the last pieces in, Tinyclaw suggested, "Take some to the elders – I'll go see to Yellowfang."

Graystripe took two mice while Tinyclaw picked up a squirrel. They went their separate ways, and Tinyclaw found Yellowfang and Brackenpaw in their den, sitting outside the split rock where Yellowfang held her herbs. A pile of leaves lay between them in the damp clearing.

"Ragwort," Brackenpaw reported.

"Yes," Yellowfang rasped. "Well done."

"What's it for?" Brackenpaw wondered, looking up at Yellowfang.

Tinyclaw put himself off to the side, watching the two work. Yellowfang pawed at the leaves again and meowed, "I'm going to chew them up and mix them with juniper – it makes a good cure for aching joints."

"Can I try?" Brackenpaw wondered.

"Yes, of course," Yellowfang told him. "Just don't swallow it – you'll have a bellyache." She reached behind her and pulled over a large, flat leaf. "Spit it onto this."

Brackenpaw nodded and picked up a lump of ragwort. He took a bite and his face seized up. "It's sour," he complained around the leaves.

Yellowfang nodded, as if she'd known all along. Brackenpaw lashed his tail against the earth and kept chewing. Yellowfang turned to Tinyclaw and asked, "What do you want?"

Tinyclaw dropped the squirrel and meowed, "Fresh-kill, for you."

"Ah!" Yellowfang's eyes sparkled. She turned to Brackenpaw and meowed, "I'll save you some to wash the taste out – but hurry, will you?"

Yellowfang padded over to Tinyclaw and pulled the squirrel over to her with one rumpled paw. She looked at it admiringly, then up at Tinyclaw. "Runningwind told us what happened," she rasped, "about you being back on apprentice duties."

Tinyclaw sighed. "I know," he breathed.

"Well, that's what you get for getting caught!" hissed Yellowfang. "You young cats these days – you never realize that your actions have consequences!"

Tinyclaw rolled his eyes. "It's done now," he sighed, not wanting to talk about it anymore.

"Yes, it is," Yellowfang agreed. "But I'm glad you're here – I want a word."

"Yes?" Tinyclaw wondered. Yellowfang would have his whole ear if she could, he knew. Not that Tinyclaw minded any.

"That poultice over there is for Smallear," Yellowfang meowed, flicking her tail at Brackenpaw. "He came in earlier complaining of aching joints. If you ask me, it's because his bedding has been damp."

Tinyclaw eyed Yellowfang. "Cloudkit?" he guessed.

"I think so," Yellowfang rasped. "She must have forgotten to shake the water off and now Smallear is complaining to high StarClan that his hips are throbbing."

Tinyclaw sighed. "I'll have a word with her," he decided. _Of all my other problems… now I have to sort out Cloudkit? Again?_ It just seemed as if there was no end to the things piled up on his shoulders.

"Good," Yellowfang grunted. "Of all the other things going on, I don't need cats in here complaining about aching joints."

"Yellowfang?" Brackenpaw asked across the clearing.

"Yes?" Yellowfang asked, looking up from the squirrel.

"I'm done," Brackenpaw told her. He pointed at the poultice with his leaf-stained muzzle. "How much juniper do you want in this?"

Yellowfang paused for a moment, then replied, "Three berries ought to do, crushed like usual. Make sure there's little skin. Do you know where they are?"

Brackenpaw nodded and got to his paws. He dipped his head to Tinyclaw before limping into the cracked boulder.

Yellowfang sighed. "Now there's a cat who knows what he's doing…"

Tinyclaw nodded in agreement. Even if Brackenpaw was conflicted about his future, it was clear he was doing well with helping out Yellowfang. Now, if only Tinyclaw's kin could be so sorted! "I'll go speak with Cloudkit now," Tinyclaw offered.

Yellowfang nodded. Tinyclaw touched his nose to her flank before heading out. The elder's den was just a trot away, and he could see Cloudkit's blotched pelt huddled up with the muted colors of the elders. Halftail's voice touched Tinyclaw's ears as he entered.

"The leader of TigerClan stalked this monster fox for a day and a night, and a day and a night – again and again until…" Halftail looked up. "Ho, Tinyclaw! Come to hear a little history?"

The elders were warm and huddled in their den, smelling of mouse and age. Cloudkit was nestled beside Halftail and Patchpelt's big bodies while Dappletail and One-Eye were settled on the opposite side. Smallear was nowhere in the den. Cloudkit smelled of mouse, and Tinyclaw guessed that she had gotten a share.

"No," Tinyclaw offered. "Just here to speak with Cloudkit."

"Me?" Cloudkit chirped. She turned and looked at Tinyclaw. "What is it?"

"I was just seeing Yellowfang," Tinyclaw meowed. "She said that Smallear's been complaining of aching joints, and that his moss has been damp."

Cloudkit's ears pricked, but Dappletail scoffed, "Nonesense!"

"She's been listening to Smallear," Patchpelt reasoned. "He'd complain if StarClan themselves came down from on high to deliver him his bedding!"

Tinyclaw frowned. He hadn't expected the elders to defend Cloudkit. Regardless, he turned to her and asked, "Have you?"

"I've tried shaking it out," Cloudkit mewled, her eyes wide. "I didn't mean to hurt Smallear! I'm sorry!"

"She's just a kit," Dappletail soothed.

"I know," Tinyclaw sighed, "but Smallear still has aching joints."

"He's had aching joints well before you were littered, Tinyclaw," Halftail scoffed. "For seasons! Now you'd best go mind your own business, and we'll mind ours."

"Sorry," Tinyclaw muttered. _Hunt the messenger… jeez._ "I'll go then. Just make sure you squeeze the water out as best you can, Cloudkit."

"I will," she chirped. Then she turned to Halftail. "What did TigerClan's leader do next?"

Tinyclaw sighed and pushed his way out of the den. He was glad that Cloudkit had found such steadfast friends in the Clan – Tinyclaw certainly hadn't expected her to charm the elders as she had. Free to take fresh-kill, Tinyclaw headed for the pile. He looked forward to getting out of the damp.

Yet he stopped, something odd catching his eye.

Just across the camp, sheltered by bushes, Bluefur lay sharing tongues with… Brokentail. _Brokentail._ Tinyclaw's heart raced in his ears – what was she doing with him? Why did she care? Why would she spend time away from her kits to speak with the Clan's prisoner?

Some part of him wondered if she was doing it out of kindness – that part was quickly squashed. Bluefur did little out of kindness, if she felt kindness at all.

He could barely hear a thing they were saying, but they were _talking._ Casually talking, as if they did it every day. Bluefur even seemed to be _chuckling!_ To his knowledge, Tinyclaw had never seen her chuckle with her own mate!

 _Something's going on,_ Tinyclaw thought, dread filling him. _Something bad… and I'm the only one with the knowledge to stop it._


	18. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

 _Tinyclaw stepped out of the_ apprentice's den and into the sunlight. The sky was a clear, pale, robin's egg blue and Tinyclaw guessed that they would be in for more mild weather. After all the cold rain lately, he was grateful for the break.

He looked back at the den and sighed. Having to sleep there again was possibly the worst part of the punishment. Thornpaw and Brightpaw were always stunned, wide-eyed, as if two warriors sleeping in the apprentice's den was comparable to sharing it with a badger. Swiftpaw openly sneered, telling jokes into the night. Cinderpaw had been embarrassed – but she more than once forced herself between Swiftpaw and the punished warriors. At least she could shut down Swiftpaw.

And Tinyclaw's dreams had been unsettling, too, ever since the move. He'd be in a foggy place, unsure and confused, smelling Redtail but never truly seeing him. He'd hear Redtail saying something, but the voice made no discernible words. He was gone before anything could be made of it, and Tinyclaw was awake.

Tinyclaw pushed it out of his mind. He assumed the stress of being forced into apprentice duties was getting to him. He settled himself down and began to wash, thinking to the day ahead – when Graystripe woke, they'd need to find a warrior to supervise them on yet another hunting patrol. If Runningwind was free, maybe…

As he washed, he spotted Tigerstar and Bluefur sitting at the foot of the Highrock. With her kits getting a little older, Bluefur was able to leave the nursery more often – however, with the kits still dependent on her for food Bluefur couldn't leave camp. Her duties as deputy wouldn't return for almost another whole moon, but it didn't stop her from organizing the occasional patrol or talking to Tigerstar.

Just as Tinyclaw wondered if they knew he was watching, Tigerstar flicked his tail – a signal to come over. Tinyclaw got to his paws and took a deep breath, knowing that he would have to deal with Bluefur in some capacity. He padded over.

"Tinyclaw," Tigerstar began, "I've been talking it over with Bluefur. We've decided you've been punished enough. As of today, you and Graystripe are considered warriors again."

A rush of relief flooded Tinyclaw. "Really?" he breathed, giddy. "Thank you!"

Bluefur breathed, "Let's hope you've learned a lesson."

Before Tinyclaw could respond, Tigerstar meowed, "Darkstripe is leading a patrol towards Fourtrees. In two nights' time the moon will be full and we need to ensure that ThunderClan has some way to attend the Gathering. I'd like you to accompany the patrol."

"Of course," Tinyclaw mewed. Even if it was going with Darkstripe, he wouldn't challenge Tigerstar now. The Clan needed to get to the Gathering, and Tinyclaw was willing to put up with Darkstripe to find a way.

"I'll tell him, then," Bluefur meowed. "One more cat ought to do it, yes?"

Tigerstar nodded in agreement, and Bluefur padded off to the warrior's den. Tigerstar turned to Tinyclaw and meowed quietly, "This will be an important Gathering. We need to know how the other Clans are coping after the flood, and just how high their tensions are."

"Of course," Tinyclaw agreed. He recalled his concern about the deaths of RiverClan warriors in the flooding. He was probably worried about the other Clans, too. "We'll find a way."

"See that you do," Tigerstar sighed."We cannot afford to miss a Gathering." Bluefur was returning, and Tinyclaw's heart sank as he spotted Darkstripe _and_ Longtail trailing after her. Suspicion immediately entered Tinyclaw's mind – why would Bluefur go out of her way to not only pair him with Darkstripe, but another cat who openly hates him?

"Ready?" Bluefur asked.

Tinyclaw nodded. He didn't miss the sparkle in her eye as she stepped away. Tinyclaw looked at Darkstripe and Longtail, trying not to glare. The idea of being alone in the forest with both of them made him more than apprehensive – it was clear that Bluefur was plotting something by pairing him up with them.

He flicked his tail. No, he couldn't let those thoughts cloud his mind like some addled elder. Not only would it be exactly what Bluefur would want, but it would be giving in to paranoia during a routine – and logical – patrol. No, he needed to think that there was nothing wrong with this.

And yet, as they set out with Darkstripe in the lead, Tinyclaw couldn't help but recall the battle within the WindClan camp where Darkstripe had watched Leopardfur tear Tinyclaw to shreds. Tinyclaw would have died if it hadn't been for Graystripe, but Darkstripe had made no move to help and it was clear that Tinyclaw was supposed to die in that battle.

 _Something's up,_ he thought, starting at Darkstripe's striped back. _I can smell it._

For the sake of the patrol, though, he put it out of his mind. Darkstripe led them up the ravine and into the forest, their paws falling on the familiar trail to Fourtrees. They kept up a brisk pace, but the newleaf sunshine had brought out prey and the tempting rustle of undergrowth grew to be too much. Darkstripe allowed them to stop and hunt.

There was little comment as Tinyclaw brought down a speedy vole, but Longtail seemed pleased with the catch. The two shared – strangely enough – while Darkstripe fetched his own prey. To Tinyclaw pleasure it was a scrawny shrew, still starving from leaf-bare.

With their meals done the patrol pressed onward. With their stomachs full and the air turning warmer the patrol seemed unanimously optimistic. Tinyclaw was sure they'd have good news of some kind to report…

Until they reached the top of the slope to Fourtrees and their hopes shattered. What was supposed to be green and grassy leading down to Fourtrees was a sheet of water. Beyond it all was Fourtrees in the lowlands.

Darkstripe hissed. "Great," he groaned. Longtail made a noise of dismay.

Tinyclaw took a pawstep forward, trying to see a possible way forward. They were so close – only a few slopes to go – but there was nothing. Debris and trees lay in their way, submerged in river water. What was once a shallow stream was now a river itself, with a churning, powerful current.

"Wonderful," Longtail sighed. "Want to cross? I don't."

Darkstripe sighed. "There's a point further on that Whitestorm talked about," he meowed. "Come on."

He led the way up the slope until the land petered out and became flat. The water was still higher than any of them would have liked, but bits of undergrowth poked through the water and betrayed that it wasn't as deep as what lay downstream. It was still clogged with dirt and debris, but there was a way to cross… if one was daring enough.

"It's lower than he reported," Darkstripe meowed. "We'll try here."

Longtail didn't look pleased, and Tinyclaw seconded the opinion. After all his escapades in the river, getting wet was the last of Tinyclaw's desires. Yet Darkstripe led the way into the water and they had to follow. Wetness creeped up his legs and onto his chest when the taller cats were soaked to their belly. Tinyclaw stretched his neck to keep himself from getting submerged.

"What're we looking for?" Longtail wondered.

"Anything we can cross with," Darkstripe replied. "Rocks, branches…"

Tinyclaw looked around. Wherever there had been something to use, it was submerged in water. Even stones that had once been lying on bare ground were useless now. It was hard to discern what was stable and crossable when the water was brown with mud.

"Over here!" called Darkstripe.

He had waded further into the water. There, a tree had been felled by the rushing current and pinned against the banks. Its roots reached up to the sky, clogged with dirt and sod while the top lay at the other side, partially leafless. The tree was thin and stripped of bark, looking shiny and slick.

"We might be able to get across here," Darkstripe offered, placing a paw on the trunk. He narrowed his eyes at Tinyclaw and jeered, "Come try it out, Tinyclaw."

Tinyclaw frowned. _Of course._

"What is it, kittypet?" Longtail sneered. "Scared?"

Tinyclaw sighed and waded over. The water was up to his chin by the time he reached Darkstripe, but he was still able to plant his paws onto the trunk and scramble up. The tree bucked and swayed beneath him, but Tinyclaw dug his claws in and didn't move until the tree stopped swaying.

Heat beating in his ears, he began padding along the trunk. It was thin and Tinyclaw couldn't place two paws together but it seemed to be holding his weight. Carefully he made his way forward – until the tree bucked and swayed again and Tinyclaw was nearly flung off.

When the heaving stopped, Tinyclaw narrowed his eyes and looked back. Darkstripe had hopped onto the tree behind him and was just stabilizing himself.

"Watch it!" Tinyclaw hissed.

Darkstripe narrowed his eyes. _"You_ watch it!" he growled. "Get moving!"

Tinyclaw rolled his eyes and turned back around. He began edging his way forward again and it dawned on him that no cat would want to go through this hassle to get to a Gathering – it would take half the night to get the Clan across! Elders and queens couldn't make the trip, for sure.

 _This is pointless,_ he decided. _The only reason I'm doing so well is because of all the practice I got going to feed RiverClan._ That tree had been thicker, but was still just as rickety.

He walked until the tree tapered so thin he couldn't place his paws anywhere. The tree swayed beneath him and Tinyclaw sat there, crouched, judging the distance he had left. Twigs and branches lay between him and the opposite shore, some even in his way. He sighed – no cat could make that leap.

"We need to -" he began.

"Tinyclaw, look out!"

Before Tinyclaw could question, the tree gave a violent jerk beneath his paws. With so little room to hold on to, Tinyclaw swayed with the tree until he felt air beneath his paws. It was only for a brief moment, the air – and then his body hit the water.

He could hear yowling as his head sank beneath the waves.


	19. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17**

 _Tinyclaw did not plunge all_ the way into the stream – one of his claws managed to snag against the smooth bark of the tree, sending shooting waves of pain up his forelegs. Though he had a clawhold, the tree's many spiky branches rustled, jostled, and poked him as he tried furiously to keep himself from going under. The tree itself had become a spiky foe, trying to shake him off.

As he breathed in mouthfuls of water, terror made him feel strangely calm. Time seemed to slow as Tinyclaw's mind was split two ways: Struggle up to the tree, or let go and risk the current. Either option meant the possibility of drowning, and though time felt like it was being stretched, Tinyclaw knew he was running out. The water battered at his small body like a dozen warrior blows, and Tinyclaw realized he had no other choice but to endure.

Yet as he struggled to keep his clawhold, he felt his strength fading, failing him when he needed it most. A calmness washed over him, and tiredness dragged at his pelt. He was tempted – so tempted – to just give up and let the current take him into oblivion…

And then the branch gave a violent jerk. Tinyclaw was pulled forcefully out of the water and into the sunshine once again as the tree rolled in his favor. He frantically dug his claws into the branch, blinking water from his eyes as he tried to gauge his surroundings. Water lay on either side of him, and the branch was unstable beneath him. The current rushed beneath him, fast and strong.

 _StarClan, help me!_ He thought, gripping the tree as it began to sway.

It rolled once more, dunking Tinyclaw into the water. His nostrils and lungs burned as he was forced into the water without any time to catch his breath. The tree rolled once more and Tinyclaw burst through the water's surface again. He took great gulps of air as he trembled, clinging to the tree for his life.

The tree wobbled a little before coming to a jarring halt. Its shuddering traveled up the tree's entire length until it reached Tinyclaw, jittering his muscles into alertness. Tinyclaw lifted his head to see what had stopped the tree – a large boulder jutted up from the current, strapping the tree near the shore.

 _It won't stay for long,_ Tinyclaw realized. _But I haven't the ability to move without making it wobble away!_

"Kittypet!" shrieked a cat.

A pale shape flashed onto the rock – Longtail! The silvery tabby tom was perched on the rock, his long tail wavering for his balance. Below him the tree scraped and groaned against the rock, and Longtail howled, _"Move, kittypet!"_

Tinyclaw knew he only had this chance, and surprisingly with Longtail there waiting for him Tinyclaw felt much better. He let go of the tree and balanced himself along its length. After a wobbly moment, he began padding as fast as he could towards Longtail.

The tree gave a terrible groan beneath him, and Tinyclaw felt it jerk. He looked up at Longtail desperately as the tree began to shift and move underneath his paws. Just before the tree gave way Tinyclaw leaped – !

… and felt Longtail's jaws grasp his scruff. Tinyclaw let out a screech of pain – but Longtail managed to hold him steady, dragging the smaller, waterlogged cat onto the stone and out of harm's way.

Tinyclaw coughed up a mouthful of water, his nose and lungs burning and his throat sore. Shivering, Tinyclaw realized that even his eyes hurt from the water. He looked up at Longtail and rasped, "T-Thanks…"

Longtail's eyes flashed. "Don't mention it," he grunted, jaws dripping wet.

"Are you hurt?" called Darkstripe. Tinyclaw lifted his head to find the dark warrior on the shore. Thankfully the rock was close. His yellow eyes were wide with shock. "Can you walk?"

Tinyclaw pushed himself to his paws. His pelt was heavy and every muscle screamed, but his legs supported his weight. He nodded and meowed, "I can."

Longtail leaped onto the shore, and he and Darkstripe waited expectantly as Tinyclaw made the leap. Wobbly though his landing was, Tinyclaw managed it. He thanked StarClan for dry ground before shaking his pelt free of water.

Darkstripe and Longtail stepped away from the spinning droplets. Looking disgusted, Darkstripe growled, "Watch it! We're all wet enough already because of you."

Longtail stepped forward and sniffed Tinyclaw. "We need to get him back," he reported, "before he gets a cold."

Darkstripe nodded, though his lip was curled. "We all need to go back," he decided. "No cat can cross that mess… Tinyclaw proved that, if nothing else."

Tinyclaw frowned. Darkstripe just couldn't help but be snarky, even when his Clanmate had nearly died in front of him due to his decisions. Tinyclaw wanted to throw him into the water and see how well he did, but every muscle screamed for respite and truthfully, Tinyclaw just didn't _care_ about Darkstripe.

Darkstripe led the way back, with Longtail behind Tinyclaw. As they left the roaring river behind them and entered the forest again, Tinyclaw felt his mind well up with suspicion. Darkstripe had been the cat to order Tinyclaw onto the branch – Tinyclaw, not Longtail, who just as easily could have done it. Not only that, but Bluefur had selected him for this patrol… and then suggested Tinyclaw go as well.

Adding to the fact that Darkstripe had been told to try and kill Tinyclaw before, during the battle in WindClan's camp, led Tinyclaw to suspecting that Darkstripe had somehow been responsible for Tinyclaw's little swim.

 _That worm was trying to drown me, no doubt!_ He thought. If it hadn't been for Longtail… Tinyclaw flicked his tail. _I'm lucky that Longtail's all bark and no bite, elsewise I'd be seeing Redtail in StarClan right now…_

He glanced at Darkstripe. The dark cat glanced back, his eyes filled with hatred. Tinyclaw smirked in satisfaction – Darkstripe _had_ tried to kill him again, that was for sure. And he had failed.

Again.

 _Bluefur won't like that,_ Tinyclaw thought smugly. _Let's see how much of your pelt remains after she's done with you this time…_

* * *

The sunshine had dried Tinyclaw's pelt by the time the patrol had reached the camp. Though his pelt was dry, Tinyclaw wanted nothing more than to curl up and sleep for a moon – yet he had a feeling that wouldn't be possible as they padded through the thorn tunnel and into camp.

"Tinyclaw!" Sandstorm mewed. Tinyclaw spotted her across camp, her pale fur rising with worry and her green eyes wide. She padded up to him. "What happened?"

"He took a swim," Darkstripe grunted, before Tinyclaw could reply. Sandstorm looked between Darkstripe and Tinyclaw, but said nothing. Darkstripe growled, "We need to report to Tigerstar."

Darkstripe and Longtail padded off, not waiting for Tinyclaw. Sandstorm, thankfully, used herself to help Tinyclaw get to Tigerstar, who was lying just beneath the Highrock. Her warmth flooded through him, giving him the strength to pad on, and he was grateful for her help.

"Well?" Tigerstar wondered, his eyes alert. "Did you find anything, anywhere?"

Darkstripe shook his head. "There's no place we can cross," he replied. "The water's too high."

Tigerstar looked at them in disbelief. "We _must_ attend the Gathering!" Tigerstar growled. "You must have found _something!"_

Darkstripe sighed, and then recounted Tinyclaw's adventure with the tree and the water. He finished, "He nearly died for it, but at least he tried."

Sandstorm looked at Tinyclaw, concerned – but she simply gave his ear a lick rather than saying anything. Tinyclaw just wanted the meeting done with so he could sleep – no one would believe him if he said that Darkstripe had practically forced him onto the branch.

"It was brave, then," Tigerstar decided, looking at Tinyclaw. "But foolish – and you need to be more careful. Tinyclaw, go see Yellowfang."

Tinyclaw opened his jaws, but he had a feeling that it was an order. He closed them, nodded, and slunk his way to the fern tunnel. Sandstorm did not follow, and Tinyclaw didn't want her to anyway. She didn't need to see him like this.

The medicine clearing was empty, but when he let out a mew Yellowfang appeared. Her orange eyes widened and she let out a mew of shock. She padded out of the gap in the rock and gave Tinyclaw a once-over.

"Did you have a bad time with the river?" she wondered.

Tinyclaw sat on his haunches. "Yes," he breathed. He didn't want to get into it too much – he was too tired to care now. Brackenpaw padded out of the rock and his eyes widened at his former mentor's condition.

"Right," Yellowfang grunted. She sniffed his side and then meowed, "Well… you're a healthy cat so you probably won't take a chill…" She turned to Brackenpaw. "Brackenpaw," she asked, "what do we do when a cat gets a soaking?"

Brackenpaw's eyes lit up and he meowed, "Poor breathing, sickness, fever, and leeches in the fur."

Yellowfang nodded. She mewed, "Get to it, then."

Brackenpaw got to his paws and limped over to Tinyclaw. He began poking, prodding, sniffing at Tinyclaw's side and fur, all while asking questions: "Feel sick?" and "Any pain in your chest?" and "Feel lightheaded, or too wobbly to move?"

Tinyclaw answered _no_ to all of the above. "I'm just really tired," he admitted.

Brackenpaw turned to Yellowfang. "I think he's fine," he reported. "Do you want to check him over?"

Yellowfang's eyes sparkled, and she let out a throaty purr. "All right, Tinyclaw – you can go get some rest. Just don't go jumping into any more rivers, eh?"

Tinyclaw nodded – but Brackenpaw took a step forward and meowed, stunned, "Aren't you going to check him over? See if I missed something, or screwed up somewhere?"

"Nope," Yellowfang purred. "I trust you, Brackenpaw." She stood and gave a nice, long stretch before continuing: "I know you still aren't sure what you want to do, but I just want to say that I've seen so many mouse-brained cats in my time that it's nice to meet someone with some sense. Whatever you think, you've learned quickly… and you're good with the sick and hurt."

Brackenpaw's tail twitched. "Yellowfang…" he breathed.

Yellowfang sighed. "You know that I've been looking for an apprentice, Brackenpaw, and that I've asked you before… but now I really want to know. How do you feel about becoming ThunderClan's next medicine cat?"

Brackenpaw was stunned silent. He looked between Yellowfang and Tinyclaw, his eyes wide. For a moment, Tinyclaw wondered if he was going to say no – but Tinyclaw knew from Brackenpaw's last attempt that hunting and fighting just weren't coming to him as easily as they had before. Deep down, Tinyclaw knew that Brackenpaw wanted to be a medicine cat.

"Do you…" Brackenpaw mewed, "do you really mean it?"

Yellowfang nodded.

"Then yes," Brackenpaw decided. He got to his paws. "Yes. Of course!"

"There's no going back," Yellowfang warned. "Are you sure?"

Brackenpaw's whiskers twitched. "I tried training again – tried being a warrior. I know it's not my leg that's stopping me, but staying with you has made me love what you do, Yellowfang. Herbs, their uses, caring for others… I… I think StarClan wants this for me. If that's what they want, and I feel it's what I want, then yes, Yellowfang – I am sure."

Tinyclaw's heart felt light. Yellowfang touched her nose to Brackenpaw's, and Tinyclaw could hear her rusty purr. She was just as happy as Tinyclaw to see that Brackenpaw had finally decided what was best for him – and with all that Brackenpaw had been through, he deserved this.

He left them to their moment, heading for the warrior's den. Sandstorm was waiting for him, prey between her paws. They shared their meal and settled into the warrior's den together, pressed close to warmth. Tinyclaw slept well and warmly - and when he woke the sun cast red streaks across the sky.

"Tigerstar's called a meeting," Graystripe meowed, a paw on Tinyclaw's shoulder. "Come on."

Tinyclaw nodded and gave Sandstorm a prod. The pale she-cat unwound herself, and together the three of them padded across the clearing. Tigerstar was standing atop the Highrock, Yellowfang and Brackenpaw beneath his shadow. The meeting had already started, but Tinyclaw, Graystripe, and Sandstorm settled down for the best part:

"I am not a young cat," Yellowfang announced to the crowd. "I have decided that it's time I chose an apprentice – and so I've chosen the only cat I can put up with, and the only cat who can put up with me: Brackenpaw will be your next medicine cat."

The Clan let out joyous cheers. Tigerstar silenced them with a flick of his tail before asking Brackenpaw, "Is it your wish to enter into the world of a medicine cat as Yellowfang's apprentice?"

"Yes, Tigerstar," Brackenpaw replied.

"Then at the half-moon you will go to Mothermouth," Tigerstar decided. "There you will see StarClan, speak with them, and become Yellowfang's official apprentice."

Yellowfang stepped forward and touched noses with Brackenpaw. The Clan cheered: "Brackenpaw! Brackenpaw!"

As the Clan gathered close, Cinderpaw surged forward and pressed against her brother, beaming with pride. Thornpaw and Swiftpaw followed, chatting happily with their kin. Even Bluefur came forward and touched her nose to Brackenpaw – possibly grateful for his help during her kitting. It was clear that Brackenpaw was a good, popular choice for this position, and there seemed to be no hard feelings.

Tinyclaw hung back, watching his apprentice being congratulated. He would approach, but later on. While he watched, however, he wished his own problems could be solved so easily…


	20. Chapter 18

**So there isn't going to be a BoT update this week, since its buffer is getting too small again! Sorry for any disappointment!**

* * *

 **Chapter 18**

 _Tinyclaw lay outside the warrior's_ den, the sky red as the sun declined behind the trees. It had been three days since Tinyclaw had nearly drowned, and as he washed his pelt he hazarded to taste the river water on his pelt. The pad of paws interrupted his wash, and Tinyclaw looked up to see Whitestorm before him.

"Tigerstar wants you to go to the Gathering," Whitestorm reported. "Bring Sandstorm and Graystripe, and meet us beneath the Highrock."

"Of course," Tinyclaw replied. Whitestorm turned around and padded away, towards the Highrock. Tinyclaw got to his paws and turned to look for Sandstorm and Graystripe. They were eating beside a patch of nettles, their pelts turned red from sundown light. He padded over to fetch them.

"We've been chosen to go to the Gathering," he reported. Sandstorm and Graystripe looked up from their meals. Graystripe cocked his head curiously.

"How?" he wondered. "Isn't everything flooded?"

"As far as I know, nothing's changed," Tinyclaw replied. He shifted on his paws. "I suppose Tigerstar has to try, at least – he wants to talk to us before we go. Maybe he has a plan?"

"I hope so," Sandstorm sighed, getting to her paws. She looked concernedly at the sky. "StarClan will be upset if we don't show up – or at least try."

Tinyclaw nodded in agreement, and the three of them headed for the base of the Highrock. The Gathering party was huddled inside the Highrock's growing shadow, Tigerstar at its head. Whitestorm was by his side, and before them were Mousefur, Willowpelt, and Darkstripe. Tinyclaw, Graystripe, and Sandstorm joined the group.

When they were all there, Tigerstar meowed, "As you know, the Gathering is tonight. It will be hard to make it to Fourtrees, but StarClan will expect us to try. There has to be a dry route _somewhere_ in the forest, and we _will_ find it – so I have chosen only warriors. No elders, queens, or apprentices on this trip. We cannot risk their safety." He looked to Darkstripe. "You led a patrol this morning, Darkstripe – report."

"The water's going down," Darkstripe reported, "but not fast enough. It's still far too deep to cross, and my patrol went all the way to the Thunderpath. We'd have to swim."

"The stream is narrower there, though," Willowpelt reasoned. "Couldn't we jump?"

Darkstripe's whiskers twitched. "If you had wings!" he snorted. "Otherwise… no."

"That has to be the best place to start, though," Whitestorm pointed out. "There's nowhere else!"

"Then we'll try there first," Tigerstar decided. He got to his paws, looking determined. His amber eyes blazed. "StarClan will lead us to a safe place, I'm sure of it." He turned, and kept his tail straight up as he led the patrol out of camp.

* * *

Twilight blurred shadow and ground into one dark blot as they padded along the familiar paths. The sun was gone behind them, and the stars were beginning to wink into existence. An owl hooted in the distance, but the cats ignored the sound as they traveled. Tigerstar took them through the woods until they reached the Thunderpath, and where the flooded stream passed beneath it in a cave of stone.

Tinyclaw shifted uncomfortably at the sight and smell of the hard path. Their usual route to Fourtrees didn't pass anywhere close to this dangerous strip, and as he looked at the surface he couldn't help but think of Brackenpaw, and how he and Cinderpaw had nearly died here.

The water rippled out on either side of the Thunderpath, spilling the banks of the strange cave and flooding several tail-lengths of lowland on either side. Darkstripe was right – no cat could jump this! The water even flooded the Thunderpath, covering part of the dark surface with a bright sheen of water.

Tigerstar gave a signal just as the ground began to rumble. The patrol ducked down into the undergrowth as a Twoleg monster rolled past, slower than usual. When it passed over the puddle it cast up a spray of water the height of a cat. The monster passed by without incident.

"Seems like they don't like it, either," Mousefur commented.

Tigerstar nodded as the patrol stood. He padded out onto the Thunderpath and sniffed at the puddle of water laying there. He tapped it with his paw, then turned to the patrol. "It's shallow enough here," he meowed. "We can follow the Thunderpath until the waters are safe."

"Is that a good idea?" asked Darkstripe, his eyes flashing in the darkness. "What about monsters?"

"They aren't traveling as fast right now, so we'll see them coming I think," Willowpelt pointed out. She stepped onto the path. "It's not ideal, but it will work."

Whitestorm nodded. He, too, padded onto the path – the others had no choice but to follow. Tinyclaw winced at the hard feeling of the stony path beneath his paws.

"But wait," Graystripe hissed. "Our territory is really low on our side! The water won't go away for a while."

"He's right," Sandstorm sighed. "This won't work, Tigerstar! Not unless we head into ShadowClan territory."

Mousefur let out a hiss at that. Tinyclaw, too, shifted on his paws. He didn't like that idea, but Tigerstar's amber eyes were determined. "We'll just have to risk it," he rumbled.

Tigerstar didn't wait for any more protest – he padded along the Thunderpath, leading the way with careful confidence. The patrol simply followed, all of them wary of monsters – but other than a monster traveling on the opposite side of the path, there was nothing, and after several paw-aching moments of walking the patrol stepped off and onto grassy land again.

Tinyclaw tensed. He could smell ShadowClan here, in this little spit of their territory. This was their path to Fourtrees, and they were trespassing – ShadowClan was well within their rights to attack if the patrol was found. Yet Tigerstar led the way down a trodden trail and towards the woods.

Before they got far, a yowl sounded in the distance. The patrol stopped, and began searching for its source. Tinyclaw spotted it – a dark streak dashing along a small hill, several other streaks behind them. When the cat came into focus, Tinyclaw recognized Nightstar, ShadowClan's leader.

Nightstar stopped before Tigerstar, blocking the patrol's path. His own cats suddenly surrounded them, their fur bristling and their eyes blazing with hostility. Cinderfur, Nightstar's deputy, stood beside his leader and locked eyes with Whitestorm, as if in challenge – but the white warrior kept his cool as Tigerstar raised his tail for peace.

"What is this?" hissed Nightstar. "What is ThunderClan doing on _our_ territory?"

"We are only passing through," Tigerstar replied. "Our route to Fourtrees is flooded, and we have no other way to attend the Gathering."

"Fox-dung," hissed Cinderfur. "They're here to spy, Nightstar. To steal our prey and our secrets!"

"Please!" Sandstorm hissed. "We don't need either of those, and we certainly don't _want_ them either."

Cinderfur narrowed his eyes at Sandstorm and let out a threatening hiss. Whitestorm and Willowpelt formed a defensive line with the younger warrior, their ears flattened. Tinyclaw dropped into a defensive crouch, ready to spring on any warrior or apprentice who moved to attack.

"There is a truce this night," Tigerstar growled. "The full moon means peace, Nightstar."

"At _Fourtrees,"_ Nightstar snapped back. "StarClan never said anything about the truce lasting outside of Fourtrees."

Tigerstar stepped forward. "By StarClan, we mean you no harm – let us pass!" he insisted.

Nightstar narrowed his eyes, looking at each of the ThunderClan warriors in turn. His eyes lingered, then he smiled and meowed, "Calm down, everyone. We'll let them pass."

His warriors backed down, and Tinyclaw looked at Nightstar with confusion. What was with his sudden change of heart?

Nightstar chuckled, "I want ThunderClan to be at the Gathering tonight!" He looked at Tigerstar as if he had just caught a nice piece of prey. "We'll even give them an escort through this _unfamiliar_ territory!"

"I don't like this," Graystripe hissed into Tinyclaw's ear.

"Me, either," Tinyclaw grumbled. He looked at the warriors, trying to discern what was happening – but they had backed down and looked rather neutral as they surrounded the ThunderClan patrol. _We haven't seen anything from ShadowClan since the flooding. What is their angle?_

Nightstar gave a faint nod to his warriors, and then led the way to the Gathering. Tigerstar walked beside him, as if they were equals – but the ThunderClan patrol headed to Fourtrees surrounded by their enemies.

* * *

To Tinyclaw's relief, ShadowClan slipped away just before they reached Fourtrees. Down below, bathed in moonlight, were WindClan and RiverClan, waiting for the other two Clans to appear. Tigerstar led ThunderClan right into the hollow, while Nightstar entered the hollow a few fox-lengths away.

Tigerstar and Whitestorm headed immediately for the Great Rock. Tinyclaw turned to speak with Graystripe, only to find that he was already gone. Tinyclaw then spotted him with the RiverClan cats, trying to get close to Silverstream – but she was surrounded by others, and Graystripe looked flustered. Tinyclaw sighed.

"What's up?" Mousefur wondered, padding up to him.

Tinyclaw wanted to screech that Graystripe was a fool for trying to see Silverstream after such a tense situation – expecting his kits or not – but instead he managed, "I was just… thinking about what Nightstar said."

"Right," Mousefur grunted. "I know – he wants us here, but why?"

"It's not good, I can tell you," Willowpelt offered. Sandstorm was with her. Willowpelt shook her head and mewed, "I can feel it in my paws."

Sandstorm murmured in agreement. Willowpelt headed for some WindClan queens, while Mousefur went to talk to some warriors. Sandstorm stuck with Tinyclaw, and together they found a spot somewhere near the middle of the Gathering to wait for the meeting.

It didn't take long – Nightstar's yowl summoned everyone together. He stood on the Great Rock, his pelt silver in the moonlight, with Tigerstar, Crookedstar, and Tallstar just behind him. His eyes scanned the clearing as the cats gathered all around, settling down and looking up at him.

"Here it comes," Sandstorm hissed. Tinyclaw nodded grimly. Nightstar wasn't going to waste any time.

"Cats of the Clans!" Nightstar howled, "Listen close!" He paused, waiting for all eyes to turn to him. Then, he meowed, "Remember with me – until last greenleaf, ShadowClan was ruled by Brokenstar! He was -"

"Enough!" spat Tallstar. His eyes blazed. "Why do you speak such a hated name? Brokenstar is gone from the forest, for good and all."

Tinyclaw swallowed, and the gleam in Nightstar's eyes told him all he needed to know. Sandstorm tensed beside him, pressing her pale pelt into his. She knew, too. This really was nothing good.

"Hated, yes," Nightstar meowed, "and with good reason – he drove your Clan out of the forest, and he nearly destroyed ShadowClan with his bloodthirsty intentions until we – his own Clan – drove him out. But gone? Oh no, Tallstar… he is not gone."

The Clans below all collectively tensed.

Nightstar growled, "So where is he, then, you wonder? Was he left to scavenge for Twoleg scraps? Was he killed, or left to die? No!" he howled. _"No!_ Brokenstar yet lives – _lives_ – and the cats who have taken him in are here tonight! They are traitors to the warrior code, to every cat in the forest!"

Sandstorm shifted next to Tinyclaw, and a quick glanced showed unease in all the ThunderClan cats here tonight. _But how did he know?_

Nightstar raised his voice to the sky and screeched: _"ThunderClan! ThunderClan is keeping Brokenstar!"_


	21. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19**

 _Shocked, angry howls rose from_ the crowd. Their fury was almost a physical force, a storm on the horizon that threatened to blow every ThunderClan cat from Fourtrees and into the sky. Tinyclaw unsheathed his claws and sank them into the moist earth, feeling the other cat's hostility growing all around him.

Sandstorm pressed against him, unsettled. Tinyclaw straightened his back at her touch – her warmth was comforting, but he feared he might not be able to hide his fear from her.

Upon the Great Rock, Tallstar whipped his head to glare at Tigerstar in disbelief. "Is this true?" he wondered, his voice breaking with shock.

Tigerstar sighed. He looked unhappy, but with dignity he stepped into the light of the moon and growled to Nightstar, "How do you know this?" Tigerstar's eyes were narrowed. "Have you spies in our territory, watching our very camp?"

Nightstar snarled, "That's none of your business."

"I think it is," Tigerstar growled back.

Tinyclaw froze – Tigerstar had a legitimate worry. How had Nightstar and ShadowClan found out about Brokentail if not by spying on their camp? As far as Tinyclaw knew, the entire Clan had kept it secret.

He craned his neck, looking for any telling faces in ThunderClan's party. Everyone was slowly clustering together as the hostility grew from those they had been talking to. Unfortunately, Tinyclaw had no idea who could have given away anything.

 _He couldn't have simply guessed,_ Tinyclaw thought, _but with the floods there is no way he could have been on our territory. How did he know? Who could have said anything?_

Nightstar growled, "Do you dare stand here before StarClan and tell me I am wrong?"

Tigerstar froze. Tinyclaw felt sympathy for his leader – much of his own Clan was unhappy with sheltering Brokentail. Now he had to defend his decision in front of all the Clans, most of whom were hurt by Brokentail's actions.

Tallstar's eyes were pleading. "Tigerstar," he breathed, _"is this true?"_

"Yes," Tigerstar said. His voice rang out clear and cold in the night air. "It is true."

Immediately Tallstar's spine bent and he spat, "Traitor! You _know_ what Brokenstar did to us – to the whole forest!" He was furious, his skinny frame trembling with horror. _"How dare you!"_

"How dare _I?"_ snarled Tigerstar. "My loyalty is not to your Clan, Tallstar. How dare _you_ call _me_ traitor!"

Tallstar stood his ground despite Tigerstar's imposing presence. Nightstar stood near like a shadow, whilst Crookedstar sat between them, eyes flashing this way and that. Tallstar snarled, "It is the warrior code you have betrayed, for giving shelter to that piece of fox-dung!"

Tigerstar curled his lip. All around in the crowd WindClan cats were whooping and hollering for Tigerstar's blood. Tinyclaw couldn't blame them – Brokentail had driven out their Clan and stole their territory. It must have felt like an infected wound to know ThunderClan, the Clan that had brought them home, were now sheltering their enemy.

And ShadowClan too, oh ShadowClan. Tinyclaw saw the ShadowClan cats converging on the ThunderClan cats, eyes narrowed and spines bristling. Brokentail had driven their Clan to starvation, killed kits and apprentices, and started fights that ended in ShadowClan deaths.

Tinyclaw and Sandstorm stood, both bristling. They joined the other ThunderClan cats, huddled in the center of the clearing. Very quickly they were surrounded by cats that they had been talking to not a moment before – the WindClan queens Willowpelt had been talking with had now turned on her, driving her towards her own Clan. Mousefur and Whitestorm were pushed away from a group of warriors. Tinyclaw huddled with Sandstorm and Graystripe, his claws out and ready to defend his Clanmates should a blow fall.

" _Stop this!"_

The cats froze, and all eyes turned to the Great Rock. Crookedstar had thrust his way between the other leaders, his gaze cold and still. When he had their attention he howled, "How can you all threaten to break the truce of peace tonight, before all of StarClan?"

As he spoke, the moonlight began to fade. The clearing darkened as a clod drifted lazily over the moon, a cloud Tinyclaw could have sworn hadn't been there before. The cats below hissed in the darkness until it consumed them all – the cloud settled in front of the moon, staying put.

Crookedstar swung his head to Tigerstar. "RiverClan has the least quarrel with Brokenstar. Tigerstar tell me – why have you done this?"

 _I suppose he's the best choice for a mediator,_ Tinyclaw thought. _Brokenstar only encroached on RiverClan territory – he didn't kill them or steal their kits._

"Brokentail is blind," Tigerstar explained. "He is an old, defeated cat with no way to defend himself. Did you want us to cast him out into the forest, weak and unprepared?"

"Yes!" spat Nightstar, foam flecking on his lips. "No death is too cruel for him!" He whipped his head around and snapped to Tallstar, "Will you stand here and let them keep safe the cat who drove your Clan out and away?"

Tallstar was bristling, and Tinyclaw wondered why Nightstar wanted to drive Tallstar so hard. Nightstar was Clan leader, and his Clan was at peace – what did it matter? Why would he want to start such a fight, especially over Brokentail?

But Tallstar looked stunned at Nightstar's fury. Carefully, to Tigerstar, he meowed, "You know what this means to us, Tigerstar. You know what Brokenstar did to us – to _all_ of us." His gaze was even. "We can never forgive him."

Tigerstar frowned. "Then you are wrong," he rumbled. "The warrior code tells us to show compassion. Where we could have left you alone in your isolation, I sent warriors to bring you home. Do you not recall what we -"

Tallstar howled, rage in his voice, "Do you claim to _own_ us now?" He was bristling with fury. "Did you bring us back so that we could sit here silently and support every decision you make? So that we would revere you as our heroes? Do you think WindClan has no honor?"

Tigerstar sighed and snarled back, _"Compassion,_ Tallstar. Listen to me! Compassion is what drove us to bring you back, and compassion is what drove us to shelter Brokentail. Try to recall what it felt like to be weak, homeless, with nowhere to go and no one to lean on – recall this, and think of Brokentail!"

"He showed no compassion!" Nightstar spat.

"But if we show none as well, we are no better than he!" Tigerstar roared back. "His lack of compassion turned him into a monster – but we will not become monsters simply to be rid of him – do not presume to tell me how to run my Clan!"

Nightstar was bristling with fury, every hair on end. He snarled, "I'll tell you this, Tigerstar – if ThunderClan keeps sheltering Brokenstar, there will be trouble. You can count on ShadowClan to defend the safety of the forest, even if you won't."

"WindClan as well," Tallstar growled. He stood side-by-side with Nightstar and snarled, "I will not let this monster live for what he has done to us. Justice!"

" _Justice!"_ shouted ShadowClan and WindClan in one united voice.

Tinyclaw flinched. Cats who had once been enemies were now uniting underneath their hatred of Brokentail, and they were willing to destroy ThunderClan to get to him. Tigerstar's eyes were wide and wild, full of fury and shock.

"Enough of this," Crookedstar growled. He shouldered his way between them and said, "There is other business to discuss tonight, or had you all forgotten?"

The leaders shifted away uneasily. Tinyclaw admired Crookedstar's bravery, for standing between the opposing sides as he reported the spreading of the floods and the damage to his territory. No cat interrupted – all were too busy buzzing with anger at ThunderClan, who were huddled in the center of the clearing like a mouse in the open.

"I knew there would be trouble," Sandstorm whispered. "I just _knew_ it."

"We all did, I think," Tinyclaw sighed. His claws were still out, and his paws were trembling. "But Tigerstar can't back down now, or the other Clans will think we're cowards."

Sandstorm sighed and leaned into him. Tinyclaw shivered. He tried to concentrate on the rest of the Gathering, but it was impossible – too much had happened so quickly, and time seemed to tick by so slowly. It took ages for the moon to set, and for the cats to begin separating for their journey home.

When Tigerstar hopped down from the Great Rock, ThunderClan surrounded him. Tinyclaw flicked his tail, knowing that every warrior was uncertain that the truce would hold. Knowing how many lives his leader had left, Tinyclaw knew they could not risk a fight.

As the Clans separated there was no shortage of glares from ShadowClan or WindClan. Only Onewhisker, the pale WindClan warrior, seemed apprehensive about the hostility. When he passed, he only gave Tinyclaw a quiet nod and sorrowful eyes, as if he hoped that this would not sever their friendship entirely.

"Wonderful," hissed Darkstripe. "Simply _wonderful."_ He turned to Tigerstar and growled, "I hope you're happy – now _two_ Clans are howling for our blood!"

Tigerstar whipped his head around and snarled, "Enough! This is not a discussion for now. When we get back to -"

"Get back?" mocked Nightstar. The black-pelted leader was sauntering by, ShadowClan streaming behind him. "And how do you intend to _get back?"_

"Certainly not through our territory!" Cinderfur sneered. "Step one paw on ShadowClan land and you won't have the paw to run away with!" ShadowClan continued their jeering as Nighstar and Cinderfur padded away, heading into the pines.

Tigerstar lashed his tail to hide his confusion. Tinyclaw frowned – there was no other way back to their camp, and now it was cut off. _There's no way we can all swim back,_ he thought with a fright. _Not all of us are as accustomed to water as Graystripe and I!_

"Nightstar is wrong," called Crookedstar.

All of ThunderClan turned to see Crookedstar and his Clan heading towards them. Tigerstar padded forward to meet with the pale tabby leader. The two big cats stared at one another for a long moment.

"I have a way home for you," Crookedstar meowed. "The Twoleg bridge is still intact, and it is a short walk to the stepping-stones from there, where there is a fallen tree. You can use that to cross into your territory."

The ThunderClan party looked uneasy. Tigerstar meowed, "Why offer us this, after what has just happened?"

Crookedstar's eyes flowed over the ThunderClan patrol until they rested on Tinyclaw and Graystripe, who stood side-by-side with Sandstorm. Evenly, he rasped, "I have not forgotten what your warriors have done for my Clan. I will not turn on you for showing compassion."

Tigerstar eyed him evenly before saying, "Thank you. We accept."

Immediately RiverClan warriors surrounded the ThunderClan party. Crookedstar and Tigerstar took the lead as they clambered up the slope and towards RiverClan territory. Tinyclaw's tail twitched – they had come to the Gathering surrounded, and now they were leaving surrounded as well.

Beside him, Graystripe was fidgety. Tinyclaw saw him constantly glancing over at Silverstream, who looked heavy and tired. She was unapproachable, surrounded by RiverClan queens who were fussing and doting on her, Tawnypelt included. Silverstream herself looked utterly uncomfortable with the attention, and she kept stealing glances at Graystripe whenever she could.

The ThunderClan cats walked with RiverClan with unease – but Tigerstar seemed to not feel the tension. Tinyclaw saw the big tabby drop back into the crowd, letting Crookedstar lead the way. Tigerstar kept pace with Tawnypelt, who looked utterly shocked that he was beside her suddenly.

"I heard you had kits," Tigerstar rumbled.

"Y-Yes," Tawnypelt stammered, her eyes flashing. "Your warriors rescued them."

"I'm glad," Tigerstar said frankly. "You must have been… terrified."

 _She seems terrified now,_ Tinyclaw thought. With a prickle of shock Tinyclaw realized that this was a rare moment – Tigerstar seemed to have no tact!

"I was," Tawnypelt told him. "I was worried – the river is our friend as much as it can be our enemy."

Tigerstar nodded knowingly. "How old are they?" he asked. He added, "I-If I may?"

Tawnypelt replied, "Almost apprentices."

Tigerstar's eyes flashed. "They'll make fine warriors," he assured her.

Tinyclaw shivered. He watched the two walking, side by side, and realized just how easy it was to be friendly with the cats of the other Clans. Why did they constantly have to fight and hate one another, when it was so easy to simply stop and talk?

* * *

Two dawns had passed since the Gathering. Tinyclaw stuck his head into the warrior's den, looking for Graystripe – but he was not there. Only a pile of empty moss.

 _Figures,_ he thought. Of course Graystripe would want to see Silverstream, especially after he couldn't at the Gathering. She was having his kits, and she looked rather close – despite all that, though, Tinyclaw was not looking forward to covering for his absence.

Tinyclaw pulled out of the den and immediately spotted Cinderpaw. The gray apprentice was sitting outside the den, looking bored. Graystripe must have left before she'd caught sight of him.

"Want to hunt?" asked Tinyclaw, padding over to her.

"Do I?" Cinderpaw breathed. "Thanks!"

She was a pace ahead as they headed out of the tunnel and into the forest. The day was warm, and the floodwater was receding. Cinderpaw seemed to be full of energy, and Tinyclaw wished that Graystripe could see her this way. He let Cinderpaw lead the way up the ravine and towards the training hollow, then he stopped her.

"What do you smell?" he asked.

"Birds," Cinderpaw replied, her jaws open. "Blackbird, sparrow, and…" She closed her jaws, confused.

"Woodpecker," Tinyclaw offered.

Cinderpaw nodded. "That. There's also… fox!"

"It's old," Tinyclaw assured her. "How old?"

Cinderpaw took another sniff. "Two or… three days?" she answered.

Tinyclaw nodded. "Go and look for prey over there," he pointed with his tail. "I'll be here."

Cinderpaw nodded and charged off. Tinyclaw certainly hoped she'd slow down before she scared off any potential prey – but Cinderpaw was old enough to know the ins and outs of hunting by now. Any lost prey was her fault, not Tinyclaw's.

Tinyclaw scented the air himself and found a blackbird. It was strong around here, and Tinyclaw spotted the little bird hopping in the leaves. Immediately he dropped down into a crouch and began creeping towards it…

… and then the bird flew away as the undergrowth crashed and crinkled all around. Tinyclaw lifted his head, angry, to see Cinderpaw lolloping towards him. Her paws were a little muddy, and her eyes were wide with fear. Tinyclaw's anger faded.

"What is it?" he demanded. "What's wrong?"

Cinderpaw was gasping. "S-ShadowClan!" she gasped.

"What?"

"ShadowClan!" she repeated, her breath regained. "And WindClan! They're on our territory!"


	22. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20**

 _Panic flooded Tinyclaw. "Where?" he_ demanded. "How many?"

Cinderpaw's whole body was fluffed up in shock, the whites of her eyes showing. Yet she flicked her tail towards the undergrowth and reported, "Over there – I saw them creeping through the undergrowth."

Tinyclaw frowned. Creeping? That wasn't good. His heart was thumping in his ears but he meowed, "Go back to camp – tell Tigerstar. We need warriors out there right now."

Cinderpaw nodded. "And you?" she wondered.

"I'll be fine," he insisted. "Go!"

Cinderpaw sped off, a gray streak in the undergrowth. Tinyclaw dropped into a crouch and crept forward, keeping himself low and out of sight. It wasn't long before he could hear the sounds of a great number of cats moving through the forest – blundering, more like. He picked up the sounds of their cursing as they tripped over roots and stepped on twigs.

Tinyclaw pushed himself into a bush and peered out between the leaves. To his horror he saw WindClan and ShadowClan walking together, just like Cinderpaw had reported. This was no party sent to talk, either – there were too many, and they all had anger in their eyes.

His heart plummeted at the sight. Tallstar and Nightstar were in the lead, walking side by side as if it was something they'd always done. Mudclaw walked beside Cinderfur, Onewhisker, and Stumpytail were trotting along, Wetfoot and Deadfoot were shoulder-to-shoulder as if they'd been littermates all this time.

Swallowing the lump in his throat Tinyclaw fled the bush and rushed back to camp. Inside he was torn – those WindClan cats were his friends, and it was very clear now that a fight was imminent. He didn't want to fight these cats, especially when the fight was so unnecessary. Tinyclaw padded up the ravine, only to find that it was already filled with cats.

Atop the ravine Whitestorm and Oakheart had gathered every warrior. Tinyclaw breathed a sigh of relief that Cinderpaw had made it in time – but by the time that Tinyclaw joined the other warriors, ShadowClan and WindClan were already bursting through the undergrowth.

The flat top of the ravine was full of writhing, spitting cats almost immediately. Tinyclaw was spun about in the confusion, eyes widening as he saw friends fighting friends. Morningflower clawed Longtail until he squealed; Onewhisker slashed at Dustpelt's face with Stumpytail by his side. Sandstorm came to quickly back up Dustpelt, and Tinyclaw sprang at Morningflower.

His heart ached when he slapped at Morningflower with his paws. She released Longtail and spun, allowing her foe to escape down the ravine. Morningflower's eyes flashed before she sprang onto Tinyclaw, who dodged her easily.

Flashing before his eyes as they fought was the time he'd carried her lone kit back from the Thunderpath tunnel. How he'd stayed by her side and made sure she made it across a dangerous Thunderpath on the way home. How she'd been the first to settle into the nursery. Tinyclaw pushed the memories away and swiped at her face, but somewhere deep down he could not bring himself to wound her.

Morningflower had stopped, looking at Tinyclaw with great sorrow. Then, she fled. Tinyclaw sighed and knew then that not every WindClan cat was eager to fight.

He was not let alone for too long. Wetfoot slammed into him, knocking Tinyclaw's breath from his body. Before Tinyclaw could recover Wetfoot began clawing at his belly. Tinyclaw suked in a great breath, pushed past the pain, and slammed his hind legs into Wetfoot's stomach. The tom let out a screech as he was flung across the clearing.

Tinyclaw got to his paws and leaped with a roar, scoring his claws down Wetfoot's side. Wetfoot wailed as blood welled up beneath his fur, and when he squirmed Tinyclaw released him, grunting in satisfaction when Wetfoot fled into the undergrowth.

He turned, only to find that the top of the ravine was almost empty. Tinyclaw sped to the edge, looking down – most of the fighting had shifted there, down at the bottom just before the camp. The united force of ShadowClan and WindClan had pushed ThunderClan back too quickly for them to keep up. They were outnumbered.

Tinyclaw scanned the crowd. He spotted Tigerstar amidst the crowd, fighting with Whitestorm by his side. Their foe was Tallstar, who was unafraid of Tigerstar's greater size and strength. Tinyclaw's paws quivered in fear for his leader, but he knew that Whitestorm would not let Tigerstar fall.

Grunting, Tinyclaw leaped down the ravine and back into the fray. His fall was broken by Stumpytail, who was still harassing Sandstorm and Dustpelt. The brown warrior buckled beneath Tinyclaw's paws, and he shrieked like a kit. Sandstorm and Dustpelt took the opportunity and leaped into the fray, and together all three of them managed to drive off the ShadowClan tom.

The gorse wall of the camp waved as the fighting grew more intense. Though ThunderClan was picking off one or two warriors here and there, they were still greatly outnumbered. Tigerstar's voice roared over the crowd: "Fall back! Defend the camp!"

Tinyclaw squirmed through the fight, following the other ThunderClan warriors as they flowed back into the camp and spread out in a defensive line in the clearing. Gorse prickled and tore at Tinyclaw's pelt as he broke into the camp. By then the nursery had a line of defenders, and their attackers were flowing into the camp.

Tigerstar let out a great roar and the battle resumed. With Whitestorm and Oakheart by his side, he lunged at Tallstar and Nightstar. The two leaders were stunned, brought down into a mass of writhing cats. Sandstorm was pulled down before the nursery by a cruel-looking ShadowClan tom – only to be shocked as Bluefur's claws scored down his side from within the nursery. Together she and Willowpelt drove off the attacker.

Tinyclaw drove off a WindClan warrior with three swipes and a nicked ear, and slowly but surely ThunderClan was bouncing back – though they all knew why this fight had started, none of them were going to be brought down within their own walls. It wasn't just about Brokentail anymore, it was about the honor of ThunderClan.

Yellowfang let out a screech as a ShadowClan cat rushed at her. Her matted fur bunched and ruffled, her orange eyes fierce like flame. Tinyclaw soared across the clearing and grasped her attacker by their haunches. He dug his claws in deep until they screeched. With a few more strikes, Yellowfang was safe.

"Thanks," she rasped. "I won't let them take him."

Tinyclaw frowned. She was standing before Brokentail's nest, secluded in the overgrowth of the elder's den. Yellowfang's great secret lay back there, blind and grasping – her son, whom she could never acknowledge.

He only nodded to her and turned – but the battle was already over. Tigerstar released Tallstar and Nightstar from his grip, and the two sounded the retreat. Almost as quickly as the battle began, it was over, and the clearing was splattered with dry blood and tufts of fur.

Immediately as the adrenaline rushed out of him, Tinyclaw's body ached. It seemed that the rush had left every other cat too, for they crawled into the clearing to lick their wounds. Tinyclaw spotted Cinderpaw limping towards the center, and he caught up with her.

"You did well," he offered, giving her ear a lick. "Like a warrior."

"T-Thanks," she stammered. A hunk of fur was missing from her flank, but she looked proud of herself. Her claws were clogged with enemy fur and she settled down to clean them.

Yellowfang and Brackenpaw appeared suddenly, herbs packed into their jaws. As the Clan gathered in the center of the clearing, in the shadow of the Highrock, the two medicine cats began distributing healing herbs to the wounded. Tinyclaw settled down to lick his scratches as Tigerstar padded atop the Highrock.

"You brought this upon us!" screeched Darkstripe. "You made us keep Brokentail, and now we've been torn to pieces for his sake! How long until one of us dies for that heartless fox?"

Tigerstar narrowed his eyes. He was bleeding from a wound on his side, but seemed all right otherwise. "Doing what's right isn't easy, Darkstripe," he growled. "I never thought it would be."

"But this, for Brokentail?" Darkstripe countered. "For a few mousetails I'd kill him myself!" The murmur of agreement in the crowd showed that he wasn't the only one.

"Darkstripe," meowed Bluefur. She commanded not only his attention, but the Clan's. The tip of her tail was bleeding, and it was clear that she had fought for her kits. "That is your leader you are talking to. Show respect."

Darkstripe backed down, and the Clan muttered even more quietly. Tinyclaw frowned. Was Bluefur really agreeing with Tigerstar's reasoning, or was she just biding her time? Tinyclaw knew she hated the thought of Brokentail being in camp… or did she?

He recalled that not long ago she had been sighted speaking with Brokentail as if they were friends, Clanmates even. Was there another reason for her change of heart?

As he thought this Tinyclaw saw the gorse tunnel twitch. In came Graystripe, fur sleek and undamaged and a sparrow in his jaws. The gray tom took one look at the wrecked, bloodied camp and dropped his sparrow in shock.

"What happened?" he gasped.

" _What happened?_ he asks!" mocked Darkstripe. "Where have _you_ been?"

"Hunting," Graystripe replied, pawing the sparrow. "What happened here?"

"ShadowClan and WindClan attacked," Oakheart replied. His eyes narrowed. "We needed every warrior."

"I'm sorry," Graystripe murmured. His tail was fluffed in shock. "I… I didn't know. I was by Tallpines!"

 _You were with Silverstream,_ Tinyclaw corrected. He sighed and wondered if Graystripe was beginning to realize the gravity of his situation at all.

Darkstripe thrust his muzzle forward. "You're away far too often for my liking!" he spat. His dark fur was bristling. "Perhaps -"

"Enough!" growled Tigerstar. His voice boomed throughout the camp. "Graystripe had no idea what had happened here. He was only doing his duty for the Clan. Any one of you could have been off hunting while this was happening. It does no good to accuse in a time like this."

Darkstripe's neck bristled, but he backed down. He spat a curse and padded towards Brackenpaw. Tigerstar grunted and padded down the Highrock. He headed for Yellowfang, and the sting in Tinyclaw's side suggested he ought to do the same.

Yellowfang was just below the Highrock, mashing berries with her paws. Tigerstar was laid out before her, and Yellowfang placed the mash along the worst of his wounds. Tinyclaw waited until she was done before he approached.

Tigerstar's ears pricked. "I thought you'd been seen to already," he grunted.

"I was waiting," Tinyclaw offered. "My injuries aren't as severe."

Yellowfang rumbled in agreement: "You're right; mostly lost fur, nothing more. A few scratches but nothing deep. You're almost right as rain but I want a little marigold on your flank just in case."

"If you've the supply," Tinyclaw told her.

Yellowfang tossed her head and sorted through her leaves. As she did so, she meowed to Tigerstar, "I am sorry for this. If I hadn't insisted we take in Brokentail…"

"Enough," Tigerstar sighed. "Yellowfang, despite what Brokentail has done he deserves our compassion now." His eyes flashed at the dark she-cat. "Everyone deserves a second chance."

Yellowfang sighed, her tail flicking. She touched her nose to Tigerstar's head and muttered, "He has brought great danger to my adopted Clan, and for this I am sorry."

Tigerstar grunted, but said nothing. He stretched and, as Yellowfang applied marigold to Tinyclaw's flank he couldn't help but stare at his leader, who was looking far away. Out of the ravine, over the trees… to where?

Tinyclaw frowned. Tigerstar had been so strange lately – so contemplative. Ever since Tinyclaw had told him about Tawnypelt and Brambleclaw having a ThunderClan father he'd wondered about RiverClan, worried about their warriors, and now seemed almost softened by some knowledge that Tinyclaw couldn't grasp.

And yet…

Tinyclaw frowned. _No, I must be mistaken._ A lot of cats had similar shapes to Tigerstar – the wildness was in their blood over the generations. Yet Tigerstar's distinctive broad shoulders, his dark amber eyes, his great muzzle… Tinyclaw had only seen them in two other cats, too close for coincidence.

Brambleclaw and Tawnypelt.

 _That can't be true._

Could _Tigerstar_ have been their ThunderClan father?


	23. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21**

 _When Brackenpaw was done tending_ to him, Tinyclaw left the medicine cats feeling confused and uncertain. His stomach clenched not with hunger, but mixed emotions about this possible revelation – if Tigerstar really was Brambleclaw and Tawnypelt's father, then why was he so aggressive about Tinyclaw helping RiverClan warriors? Yet it would explain why he spoke with Tawnypelt after the last Gathering, and how awkwardly he asked about RiverClan cats.

Sitting outside the warrior's den, Graystripe looked just as conflicted. His golden eyes were full of sorrow, and when Tinyclaw approached he got to his paws.

"I'm sorry," he breathed. "I'm so, _so_ sorry!"

Tinyclaw swallowed.

"I-I know I should have been here," Graystripe went on, spluttering, "b-but I _had_ to see Silverstream. I couldn't g-get near her at the last Gathering, and the kits are -"

"Graystripe," Tinyclaw breathed, "I _understand."_ Graystripe shut his jaws as Tinyclaw went on: "Any one of us could have been away while this attack happened – Cinderpaw and I almost missed it ourselves. Just… stick around a few days, will you? Silverstream has that much time, right?"

Graystripe looked uncertain. Then, he meowed, "OK, Tinyclaw; I'll try."

Though Tinyclaw guessed that Graystripe and Silverstream had already scheduled another meeting, he knew that Graystripe's guilt would keep him grounded. As much as Tinyclaw wanted to share his feelings about Tigerstar, he knew it wasn't the time. Instead, he meowed, "I wanted to talk to you about Cinderpaw."

"Oh?" Graystripe wondered. Guiltily, he admitted, "I know I haven't been the best mentor to her, but…"

"She was the one who spotted the attack force in the forest, and not only that but she fought well too," Tinyclaw told him. With confidence, he meowed, "I think she ought to be a warrior."

Graystripe's eyes went round. "Did you tell Tigerstar?"

Tinyclaw shook his head. "I know you don't think you were that great of a mentor, but you're still her mentor just as much as I was. I thought we could do it together."

Graystripe nodded enthusiastically, and the two headed towards Tigerstar. The leader was still beneath the Highrock, but the worst of the wounds seemed to have been treated and the wounded cats lay on their sides, stiff from poultices. Brindleface had brought out her kits, and little Cloudkit was frisking amongst them, pestering them with questions. Ashkit and Fernkit followed dutifully.

Tinyclaw spotted Cinderpaw just as they reached Tigerstar. She was sitting with Brackenpaw, who was checking her over for what seemed like the third time. Cinderpaw didn't seem to mind, though, and didn't look badly wounded but for a nick in her ear.

"Yes?" Tigerstar wondered, pulling Tinyclaw away from his thoughts.

Tinyclaw told Tigerstar the story of how Cinderpaw had found the ShadowClan-WindClan attack force on her own, and her bravery following. "If it weren't for her we would have had no warning at all," he finished. "I think she should be a warrior."

Tigerstar's eyes flashed, and they slid over to Graystripe. "You agree?" he asked.

Graystripe nodded. "I couldn't be more proud of her," he breathed.

Tigerstar nodded and a crooked smile emerged on his muzzle. He got to his paws and decided, "Very well! I think it's about time, too."

He padded into the throng of cats and roared: "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the Highrock for a Clan meeting!"

The surrounding cats lifted their heads – most were already here, beneath the shadow of the Highrock. But the elders shambled out of their den at the summons and the queens emerged from the nursery too. Even Bluefur's kits stumbled out, fumbling in the half-light. She and Oakheart gathered them up and held them still to watch.

When all were gathered Tigerstar called, "Cinderpaw, come here."

Cinderpaw's ears pricked in shock, and she got to her paws. For once she wasn't trembling with excitement – confusion seemed to have shaken her, and her steps were humble as she stood before Tigerstar.

"Cinderpaw," Tigerstar began, "it was you who warned the Clan today, and it's thanks to you that the damage wasn't much greater. You fought bravely in the battle… and I am not the only one who knows you deserve what is to come. You will be a warrior tonight."

Cinderpaw's eyes went wide and round, and in the crowd Frostfur gave a shocked gasp. Brackenpaw let out a preemptive whoop, followed by their siblings Thornpaw and Swiftpaw. The entire Clan clamored with approval – Cinderpaw was a popular cat, known for her energy and devotion. Tinyclaw knew this was a wise choice.

"I, Tigerstar, leader of ThunderClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down upon this apprentice," Tigerstar began, his voice a low rumble. "She has trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend her to you as a warrior in her turn. Cinderpaw!"

Cinderpaw met her leader's eyes, startled.

"Do you promise to uphold the warrior code and protect and defend this Clan, even at the cost of your life?" Tigerstar asked.

"I do!" Cinderpaw replied emphatically, finally regaining her spirit.

Tigerstar's whiskers twitched, and he announced, "Then by the powers of StarClan I grant you your warrior name. Cinderpaw, from this moment forth you will be known as Cinderpelt! StarClan honors your determination and spirit and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan."

As he stepped forward to press his nose to her pelt, the Clan roared with approval, shouting Cinderpelt's name to the stars. Tinyclaw and Graystripe joined in, making sure to be as loud as possible for her – but no voices could trump the love and joy her family expressed, and when Tigerstar stepped away from the new warrior they swarmed her.

"Tonight you keep vigil alone!" Sandstorm chirped happily, waving her tail. "Good thing, too – I think it might be a cold night!"

The Clan purred in amusement as they congratulated Cinderpelt. Frostfur pressed her muzzle to her daughter's flank, dark eyes glowing with delight. Thornpaw and Swiftpaw were arguing over who would get their names next – and Brackenpaw hobbled over finally, when the crowd had cleared up, to rub muzzles with his sister.

"You should be with me," she lamented.

"No," Brackenpaw told her, shaking his head firmly. "This is what StarClan decreed, Cinderpelt. My own name will come in time."

"You stiff furball!" Cinderpelt scoffed.

Tinyclaw and Graystripe approached, thankful for the room to breathe. Together they congratulated Cinderpelt, who turned to them with eyes wide and full of admiration.

"Thank you, the both of you," she breathed. "Without either of you I'd never be here." She glanced at Brackenpaw as he hobbled after Yellowfang. "Him, too."

Tinyclaw's heart lurched, recalling with a pang how Brackenpaw had sacrificed his warriorhood to save his sister's life – but it seemed to have turned out for the better, with the both of them finding their callings. Tinyclaw lamented not being able to go through this ceremony with Brackenpaw, but Cinderpelt had been just as much his apprentice in the end.

Eyes following Brackenpaw's injury, Tinyclaw couldn't help but feel fury in him. Brackenpaw should have been here with Cinderpelt, celebrating their warrior names – but because of Bluefur, Brackenpaw would be in a medicine cat's den for the rest of his life. He wanted this, yes, but Bluefur had practically forced his decision. Not only that but Tinyclaw was sure Bluefur had told Darkstripe to try drowning him – which might have worked without Longtail's interference.

 _She keeps trying and failing,_ Tinyclaw thought. _But when I have my chance to bring her down for good, what will happen if I fail too?_

 _Who will defend ThunderClan then?_

* * *

After the raid it was clear the Graystripe was keeping his promise – sticking around the camp, going hunting whenever he could, fetching herbs for Yellowfang, patrolling day and night… Yet whether Bluefur noticed or not, Tinyclaw couldn't tell – the deputy was busy herself, with her kits becoming old enough to do without her Bluefur became a well-known sight around camp again and while she couldn't hunt or patrol, it was clear she was getting ready to step back into her old position.

Yet on the fourth morning after the raid, Tinyclaw woke to find Graystripe gone.

His scent was extremely fresh, and Tinyclaw guessed that he'd just slipped out. Careful to not disturb Sandstorm, who was sleeping beside him, Tinyclaw slipped out of the den to follow. Graystripe wasn't being all that secretive, obviously – Darkstripe, who was selecting his breakfast, was narrowing his eyes at the gorse tunnel where Graystripe had disappeared.

"Just hunting!" Tinyclaw offered quickly. Darkstripe's eyes glared into Tinyclaw. "We'll be back before long."

Rushing, Tinyclaw pressed through the gorse tunnel and prayed to StarClan that his excuse was enough to placate Darkstripe. Urgency pushed him forward, following Graystripe along the familiar path towards he and Silverstream's meeting place. Tinyclaw's heart sank. _So that's why you've been working your tail off – you were planning on meeting her anyway!_

Graystripe was just ahead, padding through the woods confidently. He didn't seem to know or care that Tinyclaw was following so closely – he led the way through the undergrowth, his bulky body pushing aside fern and bracken alike.

Sunningrocks loomed before them. Tinyclaw stopped at the top of the slope, but Graystripe wove his way down with his tail high. Tinyclaw, panting, thought, _Well… I'll keep an eye out for someone while he meets with her. She is carrying his kits, after all…_

And then, while Tinyclaw could still see Graystripe, things changed. The wind changed, blowing against Tinyclaw's fur. Graystripe's entire spine bristled, and suddenly he was off like a chased rabbit. Before Tinyclaw could call out to him his nostrils were filled with an all-too-familiar scent: Blood.

Tinyclaw surged down into the hollow of Sunningrocks and rushed after Graystripe, his paws pattering against the damp ground. Water lapped at the earth not far away – the flooding had gone down in the past days and Sunningrocks was finally traversable again, but Tinyclaw kept his paws careful and quick so as to not slip.

He passed around a large boulder and there they were, nestled in a secret little hollow carved out by ages of water. Silverstream was on her side, panting, heaving, wrestling with the earth while Graystripe stood over her, yellow eyes round with panic.

"Graystripe!" Tinyclaw called.

Graystripe looked up. He didn't even seem shocked that Tinyclaw had been following him – he only shouted, "Tinyclaw! Get Yellowfang!"

It didn't take a medicine cat to figure out what was happening – Silverstream was kitting. Tinyclaw whipped around and scrambled back up the slope. His paws moved faster, kicking up dirt and earth as he sped back to camp. Scrambling down the ravine, panting for air, he nearly slammed into not Yellowfang, but Brackenpaw.

"Whoa!" Brackenpaw snapped. "Where's the fire?"

Tinyclaw was gasping. "Y-Y-Yellowfang! N-Need Y-Yellowfang!"

"Slow down," Brackenpaw mewed. "Take a breath."

Tinyclaw obeyed.

"Now tell me what's happened."

Tinyclaw burst, "There's a queen giving birth at Sunningrocks! A RiverClan cat, and I… I think something's wrong!"

Brackenpaw's eyes flew wide. "Y-Yellowfang's not here," he managed, "but give me a moment. I'll fetch what I need and be back in a heartbeat!"

The golden tom pushed into the gorse tunnel. Tinyclaw was left waiting for what seemed like an eternity – until the gorse tunnel swished and a cat stepped out. It was not Brackenpaw, but Cinderpelt.

"Brackenpaw sent me to find Yellowfang," Cinderpelt reported quickly. "She's near Snakerocks, and I'll bring her to Sunningrocks when I find her."

Tinyclaw only nodded, still reaching for lost breath. Cinderpelt rushed off, and Tinyclaw was left to wait once more.

Thankfully it wasn't long before Brackenpaw appeared. In his jaws was a hastily-made leaf-wrap, filled with smelly herbs. He placed it at Tinyclaw's paws and insisted, "Go – I'll catch up. Give her the ones on the top when you get there – those should ease some of her pain. I saw Yellowfang use them on Bluefur."

Tinyclaw nodded. He picked up the packet, Brackenpaw's instructions rushing through his mind as he scrambled up the ravine and dashed back to Sunningrocks.

He could smell the blood over the herbs long before he reached the slope down to Sunningrocks. As he skidded down the muddy hill the leaf-wrap bounced against his chin and throat and Tinyclaw did his best to keep the leaves from spilling out as he rounded the stones. He could hear Silverstream beginning to wail.

All the while his dream flashed into his mind – the faceless silver queen, crouched above her kits. Redtail's promise that somehow, things would be different. Was the dream about Silverstream, and the fate of her kits? Tinyclaw had no idea but he had no desire to see Silverstream die today.

Graystripe and Silverstream were still crouched in much the same way as before – but this time, something was different.

Bluefur was here.

"Tinyclaw!" she demanded. "What is the meaning of all this?"

Tinyclaw didn't care to answer, nor to wonder how Bluefur had gotten here. He crouched down before Silverstream, who was looking pained and desperate. He dropped the herb wrap and found the leaves Brackenpaw had told him about, quickly chewed them into a pulpy mess and, ignoring the horrible taste in his mouth he spat it onto his paw and forced it down Silverstream's throat.

Silverstream gagged on his paw, but she swallowed the mixture. Tinyclaw removed his paw, panting.

"Tinyclaw!" Bluefur demanded again. "Who is this? What's happening?"

"She's kitting," Tinyclaw sputtered.

"Silverstream…" whimpered Graystripe.

Bluefur's expression changed. She got up and left – but Brackenpaw quickly replaced her. He was panting, obviously having hobbled as fast as he could. He sniffed along Silverstream's pelt and sighed.

"How is she?" Tinyclaw asked. Her wailing had quieted a little. "I gave her the herbs."

"Good," Brackenpaw decided. "Even a little bit of them is better than nothing. I'm going to need some water, fast. Where did Bluefur go?"

Just as he asked, Bluefur reappeared. There was a thick stick in her jaws, bark stripped by the floodwater. She dropped it before Silverstream's muzzle. Almost instinctively, the silver she-cat grasped it in her jaws. Tinyclaw could see the wood splintering.

"It's too early," Bluefur meowed. "Isn't it?"

Brackenpaw nodded. "She looks like she could have waited a few days more," he replied worriedly, "but we'll make do."

Tinyclaw was stunned by Bluefur's expression and tone. Why wasn't she horrifying with anger? Why wasn't she demanding what was happening? _She's a mother too,_ Tinyclaw realized. _She's gone through this before. She wants to help, even when the queen is an enemy warrior. Questions can wait._

He turned away and went to fetch the water. Moss was easy to find, green and fuzzy and fresh on the rocks. He soaked some in the nearest puddle and brought it back, finding that Silverstream's stomach was rippling with the force of her kits.

"First one!" Brackenpaw called out in warning. He had regained his breath and was sitting beside Graystripe, who hadn't moved at all. Tinyclaw dropped the moss beside Silverstream's muzzle.

A shudder passed through Silverstream, and the stick splintered beneath her jaws. Bluefur, who had been waiting at the other end, dipped her head down by Silverstream's tail for just a moment before gently lifting a slimy, squirming kit up. Deftly Bluefur nipped open the membrane and licked the kit until it wailed.

"A she-cat," she reported.

"Good, good!" Brackenfur coached. "You're doing well, Silverstream!" His paw was on her side. "Two more!"

"Silverstream…" Graystripe whimpered, licking his mate's ears. "I'm here."

Silverstream was weak, but another shudder passed through her body and Bluefur's head dipped again. A second set of wailing filled the air and suddenly Tinyclaw found the dark-pelted kit between his paws. He was small and trembling, and immediately Tinyclaw bent down to lick him into warmth.

"One more!" Brackenpaw told her. "Just one more!"

Silverstream didn't move but for her side, which was rippling again and again. Graystripe let out a worried noise, licking her cheeks and muzzle in order to rouse her. Silverstream's eyes opened again in time for the third kit, which Bluefur promptly picked up.

"You did it!" Brackenpaw purred. "Two toms and a she-kit! Now…" he turned to Graystripe. "Help me – she needs to eat as much of the herbs that I brought as she can!"

Graystripe nodded weakly and it took the both of them to prize the stick from Silverstream's jaws. She was limp, her eyes half-open – but she accepted the herbs as Brackenpaw doled them out, wincing at the bitter taste. Graystripe waited with the moss, pressing water into her jaws whenever she looked like she couldn't manage swallowing.

"Brackenpaw," Bluefur meowed.

"Yes?" Brackenpaw wondered. He was trembling.

Bluefur's eyes were sympathetic. "This one is dead."

Tinyclaw's heart dropped as he saw Graystripe freeze in horror. The gray tom dropped the moss and leaped over Silverstream, picking up his tiny son in his jaws to try and rouse him himself. Tinyclaw picked up the moss in his place and took over for him, glancing at Graystripe all the while.

"No, no, no…" Graystripe hissed frantically. "Please, little one, wake up! Please, son…"

Bluefur's eyes narrowed. "Son?" she hissed, curling her lip. "What is the _meaning_ of this? These… are _your_ kits?!"

Graystripe flung his head around and snarled, "Yes! They are!"

Bluefur was speechless. Tinyclaw would have chuckled if he weren't busy wondering whether or not Bluefur was going to attack Graystripe.

"They're mine," Graystripe snarled, "and Silverstream is my mate. I _love_ her – and these kits… I love them too. Say whatever you want, Bluefur – I don't care. One of my kits is _dead._ What you think doesn't matter to me."

Bluefur said nothing. She only bent down the lick the she-cat between her paws.

"Oh Silverstream," Brackenpaw sighed. "You poor thing…"

"Will she be all right?" Tinyclaw wondered. Silverstream lay between them, eyes glazed with pain. Her breaths were quick and shallow.

"I think so," Brackenpaw replied. "But I'd rather have Yellowfang look at her. Getting her back to camp is going to be hard with the few of us."

"Can she wait?"

Brackenpaw nodded. Tinyclaw left the moss and Silverstream to him as he padded over to Graystripe. His friend was hunched over his son's body, and Tinyclaw pressed against him. He had no idea of the emotions swirling in Graystripe right now, the sorrow and fear of looking down at his son and knowing that he would never know his father.

"I'll bury him here," Graystripe decided. "Right between RiverClan and ThunderClan. Do you… do you think Silverstream will like that?"

Tinyclaw only nodded. Silverstream wasn't in a position to care at the moment but he knew she would approve when she woke.

"Icekit," Graystripe decided.

"Hm?" Tinyclaw wondered.

"His name will be Icekit," Graystripe told him. "He… He needs a name in StarClan, I think, and… and crashing through the ice is what brought Silverstream and I together. I… I think it works."

Tinyclaw looked down at the pale gray tom. His pelt was wet but even so Tinyclaw thought it looked a little like ice reflecting the dull leaf-bare sky. He looked out at the river now, still bursting its banks on the low RiverClan side. There, on the water, he saw a shimmering shape – no, _two_ \- Redtail, who nodded at Tinyclaw before disappearing, and one more; smaller, with round yellow eyes that faded away with the other warrior.

"Yeah," he agreed. "Icekit."


	24. Chapter 22

**Chapter 22**

 _Yellowfang had arrived before long,_ and as Tinyclaw and Bluefur carried Silverstream into the camp behind her the whole Clan knew something was up. The scent of blood and kits had brought them out, and the scent of RiverClan sent them whispering. Graystripe and Brackenpaw followed behind, each with a kit in their mouths. Graystripe's pawsteps were sullen, grief for his lost son on his shoulders.

Tigerstar met them, and exchanged a few words with Yellowfang. With his nod, Bluefur and Tinyclaw carried Silverstream into the medicine cat's den, the others following. Tigerstar brought up the rear, his tail low as the Clan whispered up a storm behind him.

"Here," Yellowfang offered, gesturing to a spare nest. Tinyclaw and Bluefur gingerly set down Silverstream, who shifted and moaned in pain. Graystripe let out a whimper – but with a kit in his mouth there wasn't much he could say otherwise.

"Will she be all right?" Tinyclaw asked.

"The birth was early," Yellowfang replied. She turned to Tigerstar and finished, "She'll live, but she can't nurse her kits right now. They'll need a surrogate if they're to survive."

Fear pierced Tinyclaw's heart, seeing Tigerstar's eyes flashing. Would he turn away these kits, born to a cat from another Clan? Born from a broken warrior code? The kits were mewling, squirming; both hungry and loud about it.

"Bluefur," Tigerstar said. Bluefur's ears pricked in shock. Tigerstar asked, "Your kits are eating fresh-kill, aren't they?"

"Y-Yes," Bluefur admitted, her blue eyes stunned. She narrowed them and insisted, "Tigerstar, you can't ask me to -"

"It would be temporary," Tigerstar interrupted. "You're the only queen with milk to spare – Brindleface's dried up days ago now that her kits are solely on solid food. Will you take them?"

Tinyclaw's stomach was a pit. Tigerstar seemed willing to take in the kits, but Tigerstar had a kind streak to his imposing presence. Bluefur didn't have a kind bone in her body – which shocked Tinyclaw all the more when she simply nodded.

"I'll do it," she decided.

"Good," Tigerstar affirmed.

"These kits, though," Bluefur went on. "They're half-Clan, Tigerstar! You can't intend to keep them here!"

Tigerstar's eyes flashed. "We'll see to that when Silverstream recovers," he decided. "For now, nurse the kits. They need it."

Bluefur swallowed, still clearly uncomfortable. But she flicked her tail and padded out of the den. Brackenpaw followed, and Graystripe soon after. The kits dangled from their mouths, mewling pitifully.

Yellowfang stared after them. "We lost a kit," she rasped, "but he was dead before he had a chance to breathe. Brackenpaw did well despite it all – we could have lost Silverstream if he'd tarried any longer."

Tinyclaw recalled Brackenpaw's urgency in Tinyclaw getting there with the herbs before him, and Redtail's warning that things would be different because of Tinyclaw's interference. Did that mean that if Tinyclaw had stayed with Brackenpaw, Silverstream would have _died?_

"He did do well," Tigerstar agreed. "But the Clan will be furious for this, once word gets around."

"What about Graystripe?" Tinyclaw wondered. "What will happen to him?"

Tigerstar looked at Tinyclaw for a long moment. Finally, he flicked his tail and decided, "Come."

Confused, Tinyclaw nodded good-bye to Yellowfang and followed Tigerstar out of the den. The Clan was clamoring with questions, but they left their leader alone as he crossed the camp to the Highrock. Tinyclaw followed him into his den, the budding lichen scraping along his spine as they entered the quiet.

Tigerstar settled in his nest and meowed, "I cannot say what will happen to Graystripe, Tinyclaw. I must discuss it with the other warriors first."

"But he -"

"Couldn't help himself?" Tigerstar guessed. Tinyclaw shut his jaws. Tigerstar rumbled, "No, I suppose he couldn't – one doesn't always choose who they fall in love with. But they _can_ choose whether or not it's right to act on those feelings… and the both of them chose wrongly."

Tigerstar's shoulders were rigid. "I had hoped they would see the error of their way," he mumbled, "especially with you there to tell them. But…"

"How can the warrior code punish us for who we love?" Tinyclaw wondered. His spine was bristling in defense of his friend. Graystripe loved Silverstream just as Tinyclaw loved Sandstorm – why was there a difference? "What gives it the right?"

Tigerstar did not answer. He turned his head away – again, unable to meet Tinyclaw's eyes. Memories stormed behind his amber eyes, and suddenly Tinyclaw realized that he had been right all along.

"You've asked that yourself, haven't you?" Tinyclaw accused. "Because this happened to you."

Tigerstar slowly, slowly, turned to look at Tinyclaw. For the first time in what felt like moons, his leader looked him in the eye. Burning amber eyes bored into ice-blue.

"Yes, Tinyclaw," Tigerstar meowed. "I'm sure you've managed to guess by now – Brambleclaw and Tawnypelt… are my kits."


	25. Chapter 23

**Sorry guys; no BoT today - I was so busy just hammering out the final chapters of this story, and its backup is completely done! That's a _huge_ load off of my mind. BoT will be back next week!**

* * *

 **Chapter 23**

" _The worst thing, I think,"_ Tigerstar went on, "Is that _you_ knew before I did."

Tinyclaw sat, stunned – but Tigerstar's words broke through the haze of affirmation. "You… didn't _know_ they were your kits?" he asked in disbelief. All this time Tinyclaw had figured Tigerstar was being distant and snappy because his secret was being prodded at like hostile prey – but Tigerstar hadn't known?

Tigerstar sighed. "Tell me what you know, Tinyclaw," he offered, "and I'll fill in the gaps."

Tinyclaw frowned. Though he had apparently known Tawnypelt and Brambleclaw's true father, he didn't know much beyond that. "Goldenflower told me that her kits had a ThunderClan father while her firstborn, Swiftclaw, didn't. She said it didn't seem like any other cat knew."

Tigerstar's gaze softened. "I… I was a fool," he murmured. "She could have ruined me, destroyed me – but she didn't. Oh, Goldenflower…"

He took a deep breath, then meowed, "Since you know, there's no point in hiding it from you. Goldenflower and I were mates… much like Silverstream and Graystripe."

"But why?" Tinyclaw wondered. This was his leader – the paramount of the warrior code! "How could you break the warrior code?"

Tigerstar's eyes flashed. "One doesn't always choose who they fall in love with," he replied frankly. Tinyclaw frowned, but kept his jaws shut.

"I suppose you want to know the whole story," Tigerstar decided. He settled into his nest. Tinyclaw only nodded. Tigerstar sighed and meowed, "Very well."

It took him a moment to collect his thoughts – recalling how old Tawnypelt and Brambleclaw were, they must have been born some time ago. When Tigerstar finally did speak, his eyes were far off in memories and his tone was certain:

"My warrior name was Tigerclaw," he began. "I wanted nothing more than to serve my Clan, in any way possible – but I was bitter and angry. My father had left the Clan to become a kittypet, and it made me even more determined to do anything to prove I was nothing like him."

"A kittypet!" Tinyclaw breathed.

Tigerstar nodded. His eyes sparkled with irony. "Yes, a kittypet," he chuckled. "Don't give me that look, Tinyclaw – I did not resent you for being a kittypet. By the time you and I met that part of me was gone, and I was a much different cat.

"Now… Goldenflower was older than I, but not by much – and she and her mate had separated. Her son was an apprentice at the Gathering where we met… and even with her maturity Goldenflower was still young – as was I.

"We were foolish, sneaking away whenever we could to meet and talk and laugh. At first it was friendship," Tigerstar offered, "but it grew into something more. I was hesitant to begin a relationship with a cat who'd had a mate before, but I loved her and that was something more powerful than I'd ever known. When she said she loved me, I felt as if the stars had aligned and StarClan had blessed us – it was destiny to me."

Tinyclaw kneaded his paws, drinking in the story. He pictured a young Tigerstar with a young Goldenflower, sitting together with their tails twined. The image flickered to Graystripe and Silverstream, and Tinyclaw was not foolish enough to ignore the parallel.

"Things happened so quickly then, one after another," Tigerstar sighed. "Our deputy Tawnyspots was sick and our leader, my former mentor Thistlestar, wanted me to take his place – but I was uncertain. I wanted to be with Goldenflower, wanted her to be a part of ThunderClan… but I could never be deputy if that happened."

"Was there no one else?" Tinyclaw wondered.

"Yes," Tigerstar told him. "Sunfall, a clever warrior – but he was ambitious, and dangerous. I could see it where no one else could… and an incident with him caused me to take up the position simply so that he would not take over the Clan. Whether I wanted it or not, Sunfall being leader of this Clan, sitting where I am sitting now… things would be different."

Tinyclaw shivered at the thought of another cat sitting here besides Tigerstar. He could hardly think of it. Privately he wondered what sort of incident had happened between Tigerstar and Sunfall – but now was not the time.

"Besides," Tigerstar chuckled half-heartedly. "Our medicine cat said I had a great destiny! Who wouldn't do whatever they could to fulfill such a promise?"

He shifted again in his nest. "With my young mind I came up with a plan – when I was leader, I could invite Goldenflower into the Clan. A Clan leader's word is law, and no one could question me! So it came that I had to give Goldenflower my news – but she came with news of her own."

"Kits," Tinyclaw guessed.

"Yes," Tigerstar affirmed. His eyes turned dark. "I… didn't believe they were mine."

Tinyclaw's ears pricked in shock.

"Goldenflower had had a mate before," Tigerstar reminded him. "They were still close though they weren't mates anymore, for the sake of their son. Though she was speaking I could only hear betrayal – I could only think that she was simply using me to recover, so that she and her old mate could get back together… So I ended things with her."

"J-Just like that?"

Tigerstar nodded gravely. "Just like that."

Tinyclaw's pelt prickled. He imagined a young, heartbroken Tigerstar and Goldenflower, their StarClan-blessed relationship over in just a moment. How quickly such happy things could end, and how painfully!

"I was bitter for so long," Tigerstar sighed. "Two cats I had cared for had betrayed me, I felt. I was blind to the signs – the Gathering after we broke up, RiverClan's leader announced that Goldenflower's former mate had died of greencough. I didn't even look at her that night.

"When she had given birth to her kits, her son Swiftclaw came to me and told me their names," Tigerstar recalled. "Bramblekit and Tawnykit."

"You didn't know why?" Tinyclaw wondered.

"Deep down I think I did," Tigerstar admitted, "But by then I wanted nothing to do with Goldenflower or her kin, so I sent him away. I didn't even think as to why he'd told me them in the first place. To spite me? Who knew – I was deputy, with more important matters to deal with."

Tigerstar's eyes narrowed. "And then you… you came to me with the news of half-ThunderClan kits and it… it brought it all back to me, like a blow," he growled. He shook his great head. "I was such a bitter fool!"

It was silent for a moment. The story settled in the air like dust, the words mingling with the moss on the sandy floor. Finally, Tinyclaw meowed, "Thank you for sharing this with me."

Tigerstar nodded. "I trust you, Tinyclaw," he decided. "You will not reveal my secrets."

"But what will happen now?" Tinyclaw wondered. "To Silverstream and Graystripe, and the kits?"

"The kits have done nothing wrong," Tigerstar replied with certainty. "But Silverstream and Graystripe… I am not sure. Perhaps…? Perhaps this time I can do better."

Tinyclaw swallowed.

"I'm sure you understand by now, Tinyclaw," Tigerstar meowed. "There are no right choices."

His words struck Tinyclaw, and suddenly the small black cat seemed to feel the weight that Tigerstar felt. All the Clan's expectations, hopes, dreams – all on his shoulders, and his alone. Every choice he made could make or break the Clan, and this meant becoming a leader was a great sacrifice that not every cat could manage.

"I understand," was all Tinyclaw could manage.

* * *

Graystripe was sitting outside the medicine cat's den as the sun sank in the sky. The gray tom was peering through the ferns, watching Yellowfang and Brackenpaw move about inside. When Tinyclaw approached, Graystripe jumped.

"Sorry!" Tinyclaw offered. He settled down beside Graystripe. "How's Silverstream?"

"Yellowfang insists she'll be fine," Graystripe sighed, "but I just…"

Tinyclaw pressed his pelt against his friend. After hearing Tigerstar's story, and seeing just how much Graystripe loved Silverstream with his own eyes, he understood.

"Did Yellowfang kick you out?" Tinyclaw guessed.

"Brackenpaw, actually," Graystripe admitted sheepishly. Tinyclaw's ears pricked in surprise as his friend went on, "He snapped at me for disturbing his nap – that cat's getting more and more like Yellowfang, and I'm not sure it's a good thing."

Tinyclaw offered, "They need their privacy, you know."

"I do," Graystripe sighed heavily. He gave Tinyclaw a pleading look. "Silverstream is really hurt, Tinyclaw – you'd be pacing around too if it were Sandstorm in there."

Tinyclaw bit back his usual snap of protest. Instead, he nudged Graystripe and offered, "Let's go see your kits – I'm sure Silverstream will want news when she gets better."

Graystripe's eyes shone. "Can we?" he wondered.

Tinyclaw nodded. "Bluefur is nursing them."

Graystripe's eyes darkened. "Oh," he muttered. "I… I wouldn't be welcome, I think. The whole Clan's done nothing but whisper about me behind my back, and…"

"Let them," Tinyclaw said. "Gossip is gossip, after all."

"Gossip still hurts," Graystripe reminded him. "I… It's clear I'm not wanted here, isn't it?"

Tinyclaw flicked his tail. "Enough of this," he insisted. "We're going to see your kits!"

Before Graystripe could protest, Tinyclaw nudged him to his paws and pushed him towards the nursery. Though Tinyclaw was smaller he made a point of standing between Graystripe and the groups of cats gossiping in every corner of the Clan – to get to him, they would have to go through Tinyclaw.

"Tinyclaw!"

Tinyclaw and Graystripe stopped as Sandstorm approached. Her pale pelt was lit like flame, her green eyes sparkling as she looked at Tinyclaw. "Want to share some fresh-kill?" she wondered.

"Sure," Tinyclaw agreed. "We're just going to see Graystripe's kits first."

Sandstorm's eyes darkened. "Oh," she mumbled. She looked away. "I'll… see you in the den, then."

Graystripe sighed as she walked away. "See?" he fretted. "They hate me, Tinyclaw. They don't want me around, and I…"

"Enough!" Tinyclaw insisted again. He meowed, _"I_ want you around! You know how things go, Graystripe – it'll take time for all of this to blow over. But it won't be long!"

Graystripe's ears flattened as he looked out at the Clan. "I don't know, Tinyclaw…" he murmured. "I don't think anyone will forget this."

Tinyclaw and Graystripe continued on towards the nursery, their steps slow with thought. Tinyclaw kept close to Graystripe, his friend's words repeating over and over again in his mind.

 _No, Graystripe,_ Tinyclaw thought. _I'm right, all right? This will all blow over – give it a half-moon. It will be done and over with and no one will look at you like a traitor._

… _Right?_


	26. Chapter 24

**Chapter 24**

 _Tinyclaw hopped confidently across the_ stepping-stones. Water lapped near his paws, but the raging floodwater that had terrorized his dreams had all but receded, and now the river between ThunderClan and RiverClan territory was just a little higher than normal. The day after Silverstream's kitting the sky was drizzling and gray, as if it were mourning the loss of her kit.

As Tinyclaw landed on the opposite bank, he dropped into a low crouch. He was here on RiverClan territory to deliver news of what had happened yesterday to RiverClan, knowing that they must be worried for Silverstream. RiverClan had a right to know – but Tinyclaw knew that no cat would have allowed him to do this on his own. He hadn't wanted to come off as a threat, so he'd come alone.

He opened his jaws to look for fresh scents and, almost at once found one. Tinyclaw prowled forward into a bed of reeds and found that there was a small, dark-pelted cat inside. He was little, his fur still soft – barely an apprentice, Tinyclaw guessed. Yet when Tinyclaw hissed for his attention he drew himself up and bore his teeth like a warrior.

Then, his eyes widened in recognition. "Y-You're Tinyclaw, aren't you?" he wondered. "I saw you at the last Gathering. What're you doing here?"

"I need to speak with Tawnypelt," Tinyclaw explained. "It's important."

The apprentice hesitated, and didn't move.

"I'm not here to fight or spy," Tinyclaw assured him. "I just need to speak to Tawnypelt – then I'll be gone."

The apprentice hesitated a moment more before nodding at Tinyclaw and padding away. Tinyclaw settled himself down as the dark-pelted apprentice disappeared. He wondered how long it would take for him to find Tawnypelt – hopefully it would be before the rest of the apprentice's patrol found him.

It felt like forever until Tawnypelt appeared – but there she was, shouldering aside the reeds with her wide, stocky build. Tinyclaw swallowed in shock – now that he knew the truth of her parentage, there was no mistaking that Tigerstar was Tawnypelt's father. Their pelts weren't the same, no, but it was there in the shape of her head and the curve of her shoulders. It was there in the way she raised her head at Tinyclaw, her eyes burning into him.

"What are you doing here?" she wondered. "Is this about Silverstream? She hasn't been seen since yesterday, and Crookedstar is beside himself!"

Tinyclaw nodded and meowed, "It is."

Tawnypelt's eyes widened with worry. "Well?" she demanded. "How is she? _Where_ is she? Did some of your warriors catch her over there, or something?"

Tinyclaw took a deep breath. "Silverstream kitted on our side of the river," he explained. "It was… bad. Bloody – but we managed to save her. She lost one of her kits, though, and she's really weak. She's staying in ThunderClan until she recovers."

Tawnypelt's eyes were wide with shock. "Mudfur…" she murmured. "Mudfur warned her not to do anything too strenuous…" The dappled she-cat sat down, still stunned. A moment later she asked, "You say she lost one of her kits?"

Tinyclaw nodded solemnly. "There was nothing we could do for him," he replied. "He was born dead, and Brackenpaw thinks it's because the kits came too early. The other two are fine, though, and they're nursing with one of our queens until Silverstream can do it herself. Graystripe named the lost one Icekit; he's buried just by our side of the river."

The queen lowered her head in sorrow. "I know what it's like to almost lose my kits, but to really lose one…" She shuddered, then lifted her head. Her eyes were full of relief. "It's good to know that Silverstream is safe, though. She is, right? Your Clan haven't tried hurting her?"

Tinyclaw shook his head. "Tigerstar wouldn't allow it," he meowed, "though the Clan isn't exactly happy to have her." Just this morning he'd heard some cat whispering about how Silverstream was just going to reveal all of ThunderClan's secrets to RiverClan. It took all he had not to claw them.

Tawnypelt swallowed and decided, "It's better than her being dead, I suppose." She touched her muzzle to Tinyclaw's and meowed, "Thank you for risking yourself to tell me."

"You deserved to know," Tinyclaw told her.

Tawnypelt nodded and got to her paws. "You ought to head back before you're missed," she meowed. "Or before a patrol finds you."

Tinyclaw nodded in agreement. He murmured good-bye to the tortoiseshell queen and turned away from the reeds, heading for the river.

 _It was wrong for me to cross into their territory,_ he told himself as he crossed the stepping-stones, _but they deserved to know._

* * *

A noisy stomach – his own – roused Tinyclaw two dawns later. Peering through the dim light of the den, Tinyclaw noted that Graystripe was missing. _Gone to see Silverstream,_ he thought as he got up. _Well, at least it's on_ this _side of the border…_

Tinyclaw stretched and slipped outside, into the clearing. Two dawns had passed since Silverstream had kitted, and no cat seemed keen to speak with Graystripe. Only Tinyclaw and Cinderpelt dared to step close to the gray warrior, and all around there were vicious whispers about Silverstream, who still lay recovering in the medicine cat's den.

All around Tinyclaw had expected to see cats sharing tongues on this warmer morning – but the clearing was all but empty. Graystripe's affair had shook the Clan to the core, making them mistrustful and short-tempered. There was a dark cloud hanging over the camp, and Tinyclaw felt its oppressive atmosphere clinging to his pelt like greenleaf humidity.

He shook out his pelt, determined not to let it get to him, and padded towards the fresh-kill pile. Before he reached it a familiar voice called his name:

"Tinyclaw, Tinyclaw!"

Tinyclaw turned and found Cloudkit barreling towards him on her bright white – and one ginger – paws. Tinyclaw side-stepped her eager pounce, only to have her gnawing on his tail a moment later. Tinyclaw wrested himself from her grip and asked, "What's going on?"

"I'm going to be an apprentice!" Cloudkit grinned, waving her plumy tail. "Right _now!"_

Tinyclaw's eyes widened in shock, and he looked about for someone else to confirm this for him. Sure enough Brindleface was approaching, Tigerstar by her side. Ashkit and Fernkit followed their mother more slowly, their eyes dark with a sibling's jealousy.

"An apprentice?" Tinyclaw questioned them.

Tigerstar nodded, "Yes," he meowed. "Cloudkit is six moons old."

"But what about…?" Tinyclaw glanced at Cloudkit's foster siblings.

"They still have some room to grow," Brindleface answered. "Cloudkit was born around the same time… but she's grown into herself quite a bit!"

"You'll mentor her, of course?" Tigerstar wondered. "I'm sure she'd have no one else, and you did a good job with Cinderpelt, though she wasn't yours."

Still reeling, Tinyclaw nodded. "O-Of course!" he replied.

"It's about time you had another apprentice," Tigerstar agreed, nodding his head. The big cat turned away and headed for the Highrock. Tinyclaw looked after his leader, stunned by the praise. Tinyclaw still felt so horrible about failing Brackenpaw – but now that Brackenpaw had his place Tinyclaw feared he might never get another apprentice. It seemed like that was changing.

Cloudkit nudged Tinyclaw out of his thoughts. "I'll be the best apprentice ever," she insisted. "I'll listen to everything you say, and I'll be a better warrior than anyone, you'll see!"

Tinyclaw looked at her, stunned at her growth. She'd grown upwards and outwards, and was now just below him in height. Soon she'd surpass him and be much taller. Tinyclaw was proud of this little kit, recalling her small and sickly roots. She would be a warrior to be proud of, for sure.

 _Yet she's arrogant,_ Tinyclaw thought concernedly. _She doesn't seem to respect much. It'll be hard to teach her the warrior code and what it means._

Cloudkit padded off to the Highrock, her tail high. Brindleface turned to Tinyclaw and nudged him.

"Yes?" he wondered.

"It's Graystripe," Brindleface sighed. "I know he means well, but when he's not seeing Silverstream he's in the nursery, pestering Bluefur about the kits. You know how Bluefur is… it won't be long before her patience gives out."

Tinyclaw flicked his tail concernedly. "I'll see what I can do," he decided. He padded past Brindleface and headed for the nursery. He knew Graystripe's heart was in the right place, but if he annoyed Bluefur too much she might turn the kits away, and then where would they be?

The nursery was warm and Tinyclaw spotted Graystripe near the far end, staring down at his kits with wide, awestruck eyes. Bluefur was curled around them, keeping them in place with one hind leg. Her blue gaze was unreadable. Bluefur's own kits were pestering Speckletail at the back of the den, chatting about Cloudkit's impending ceremony.

"Graystripe," Tinyclaw meowed, drawing close.

"Look at them!" Graystripe purred, not looking away. "They're so lovely!"

Tinyclaw stooped over the kits, acutely aware of Bluefur's eyes boring into him. "They _are_ beautiful," he decided. They were small and squirmy, but one was a deep, dark gray like Graystripe and the other was a pale silvery color like Silverstream. Certainly kits to be proud of.

"Better than he deserves," grunted Speckletail from the back of the den.

Graystripe ignored her. He looked at Bluefur and asked anxiously, "A-Are you sure they're all right? They're small…"

"They were born only a few days ago," Bluefur answered tightly. "They'll get bigger as they get older – so please, stop asking me."

Tinyclaw sensed the anger bubbling in Bluefur's tone. Tinyclaw nudged Graystripe and meowed, "Come on – Cloudkit's being made an apprentice."

Graystripe looked up, eyes wide. "Yours?" he asked.

Tinyclaw nodded.

Graystripe's whiskers twitched. "Alright, let's go!" he decided. He got to his paws, but he didn't leave before giving each of his kits a warm-hearted lick. The two left the nursery to the cries of Bluefur's kits complaining about not being able to attend the meeting.

Outside the Clan had gathered, and it seemed like the ceremony had brought out a more friendly atmosphere. Tinyclaw and Graystripe passed Willowpelt, along with Runningwind and Mousefur. Willowpelt announced, her eyes bright, "I'll be having kits!"

Tinyclaw blinked at her as Runningwind and Mousefur congratulated her. Tinyclaw wondered who might be the father – and then he spotted Whitestorm not far away, looking proudly at Willowpelt. It seemed like no matter what happened, Clan life just… went on.

With Graystripe by his side, Tinyclaw made his way to the front of the crowd. The Clan kept a pace away from Graystripe, but the dark gray warrior seemed to ignore the Clan's uneasiness. The two settled at the front of the crowd. Cloudkit sat before them, her head raised proudly.

"Cats of ThunderClan," Tigerstar announced when all were gathered, "we have some important business to take care of today. Firstly… many of you have asked me what Graystripe's punishment will be. His actions broke the warrior code, and punishment _is_ due… and I have decided what will be done."

The Clan fell quiet. Graystripe shivered beside Tinyclaw, but he knew this day would come.

"I cannot say much for Silverstream," Tigerstar decided, "as she is not ThunderClan; her punishment will be decided by Crookedstar. However, Graystripe… I have thought carefully on this."

 _Please don't be too harsh,_ Tinyclaw begged inside. _After all…_ you _got away with it, too!_

"You have lost a kit," Tigerstar meowed. "That, I think, is punishment enough. What can any cat do to you that is worse than that feeling?"

Tinyclaw breathed a sigh of relief – but the rest of the Clan was outraged. Yowls and spits and hisses rose from the crowd, and shouts of "Drive him away!" or "We don't want him here" rose from their Clanmates. Graystripe stood stock still, his eyes unreadable.

Tigerstar's roar rose above it all, "When you all become Clan leader, these decisions will be yours to make! But none of you are leader – I am; and I have made my decision."

That silenced the crowd. They settled into an uneasy muttering, and Tinyclaw sighed.

Tigerstar went on, his amber eyes burning, "However, Graystripe… for three moons you will not attend a Gathering. Not necessarily to punish you, but to ensure your safety from angry RiverClan cats who would seek justice of their own for what you've done."

Graystripe meowed, "Thank you."

"Don't thank me," Tigerstar meowed sternly. "You've broken the warrior code, Graystripe, and that will take a long time to forgive. Work hard, and one day you might make a fine mentor for those kits."

Graystripe brightened at that, but most of the Clan scowled. It was clear they had wanted a harsher punishment, but Tigerstar's word was law. Tinyclaw's whiskers twitched – they would just have to deal with this.

"Now," Tigerstar meowed, "on to happier duties! Cloudkit has reached her sixth moon, and is ready to become an apprentice."

Tigerstar leaped down from the Highrock and approached Cloudkit. His striped tail flicked, summoning Tinyclaw forward. Tinyclaw obeyed, standing just beside Cloudkit – and recalling how, not long ago, he'd done the same thing with Brackenpaw.

 _This time will be different,_ he decided, glancing at his niece.

Cloudkit managed to hold still, but Tinyclaw could feel her tail trembling. Tigerstar meowed, "Tinyclaw – you are ready for another apprentice, and Cloudpaw is your niece. You will be her mentor."

Tigerstar went on, "Tinyclaw you know what it is like to be one of us, yet not born amongst us. I trust you will teach Cloudpaw all she needs to know to become as great an asset to ThunderClan as you have become."

"I will," Tinyclaw murmured, taken aback by the praise yet again.

He turned to Cloudpaw and touched his nose to her's. Cloudpaw trilled with happiness, "Cloudpaw!" she mewed. "I'm Cloudpaw!"

Tinyclaw stepped away and allowed the Clan to congratulate her – but it was not quite as momentous as other ceremonies. Most of the Clan hung back, muttering and whispering while side-eying both Cloudpaw and Graystripe… and even Tinyclaw himself. Yet Cloudpaw was not without a welcome – the elders paid special attention to her, cheering her name and promising to share fresh-kill whenever she came by.

Sighing, Tinyclaw glanced at the Clan. Would they ever really accept him, or Cloudpaw, even after all this time? Pointedly, Darkstripe passed by and snarled in disgust, "Traitors and kittypets! Is there no decent cat left in this Clan?"


	27. Chapter 25

**Chapter 25**

" _Wait," Tinyclaw warned. He crouched_ at the edge of the tree line, looking out into the open field. Beside him, Cloudpaw tensed. "We're near Twolegplace. What do you smell?"

She raised her nose obediently. Cloudpaw was doing her best to prove she was the best apprentice ever, listening to every little thing Tinyclaw had to say and following his every pawstep. Tinyclaw wondered how long it would last and if her arrogance would return. Today was their first expedition into Clan territory, scouting the boundaries – now, Tinyclaw was rewarding Cloudpaw's good behavior with a visit to Twolegplace; her first since leaving in leaf-bare.

"Lots of cats," Cloudpaw offered quietly. Her nose was screwed up, lost in the smells. "I don't recognize anyone though."

"They're mostly kittypets," Tinyclaw told her. "Maybe a loner or two – no one that will bother us too much." He'd gotten a trace of Darkstripe's scent in the area as well, but didn't dare draw Cloudpaw's attention to it. He recalled the time he'd tracked Darkstripe here, not long ago, and found his scent mingled with many more, and wondered what it was the sneaky tom was up to.

 _What's that fool thinking, coming here?_ Tinyclaw wondered. _He hates kittypets and anything to do with them… and what do those rogue scents have to do with it?_

He shook his head of the thoughts – Cloudpaw was waiting expectantly, and he didn't want to worry her. Clearing his throat, Tinyclaw asked, "Do you smell dogs, or Twolegs?"

Cloudpaw shook her head. "Good," Tinyclaw meowed. "Then let's go."

He led the way out of the trees and into the clearing. It stretched many lengths before them, a clear swath of land between the Twolegplace and Tallpines where Twolegs and their kits sometimes wandered with dogs. It was in this place Tinyclaw had first discovered the Clans, and it was here that Cloudpaw had been born.

Tinyclaw led the way along the fences and eventually stopped at a familiar one. He leaped up to its top, waiting for Cloudpaw to scrabble her way up. With a grunt, she was by his side, and together they leaped off into the garden.

Snowmelt had changed this place drastically – Fiona's garden was growing lush and green, with lots of budded bushes and ferns. Briefly, Tinyclaw was reminded of his own old garden – but he shook the thought away. Fiona's Twolegs clearly loved their garden and the abundance of Twoleg tools near the nest made it clear.

He raised his tail, but Cloudpaw didn't need warning – she was sticking close to the fence, her eyes wide with wonder and caution. She'd never seen this place before in her waking memory, and it was strange to her. Tinyclaw took a few steps forward.

"Fiona!" he hissed. "Fiona, are you here?"

A moment later, the bushes near the house quivered. Out stepped the lovely white figure of Fiona, her plumy tail raised in greeting and blue eyes sparkling with surprise. "Tinyclaw!" she called. "It's you!"

She bounded over to him and touched her muzzle to Tinyclaw's. She purred, "It's been so long! It's good to see you're well!"

"I've brought someone else, too," Tinyclaw offered. He swept his tail over towards Cloudpaw, whose eyes were widening at the kittypet.

Fiona's breath caught in her throat. "Oh, Tinyclaw – that _can't_ be Cloudkit! She's so… big!"

Cloudpaw took tentative steps forward. Her tail low, she asked cautiously, "Are… are you _really_ my mother?"

Fiona's purr could have been heard in the ThunderClan camp. "I am," she breathed. "Oh," she sighed, "it's so good to see you, Cloudkit…"

Cloudpaw drew herself up, tail high. "It's not Cloud _kit_ anymore – I'm Cloud _paw!_ Tinyclaw is my mentor… and I'm going to be the best warrior in ThunderClan!"

Fiona's eyes widened. "Oh are you now?" she purred. Whiskers twitching, she mewed, "I'm sure!"

The white she-cat padded forward and gave her daughter a lick between the ears. Tinyclaw could tell she was trying to restrain herself – but it didn't work. Bursting with purring, Fiona covered her daughter with licks, asking question after question whenever she got the chance: "Are you eating all right? Are you warm enough? Do you have friends? Do you listen to what Tinyclaw tells you to do? Do you…"

Cloudpaw didn't bother trying to answer the questions. She merely enjoyed the attention, purring louder than Tinyclaw had ever heard her purr before.

Finally, Fiona stopped. She pulled away suddenly, her eyes full of sorrow. "You'll have to be so brave…" she breathed.

Tinyclaw started. He had expected her to be emotional, but not like this. Was Fiona regretting giving Cloudpaw to ThunderClan? Was she imagining Cloudpaw coming to her again and again, each time with a new scar or nick? Fiona took a deep breath, steadying herself.

"I'm so proud of you," Fiona decided, looking upon her daughter. Glancing at Tinyclaw, she added, _"Both_ of you."

Cloudpaw drew herself up again, clearly enjoying the attention. She turned and lapped at her spiked coat, trying to flatten it. While she was distracted, Tinyclaw nudged Fiona.

"Fiona," he asked quietly, "have you seen any strange cats around lately?"

Fiona gave him a hard look, then she replied, just as quietly, "Yes, occasionally." She swallowed. "They yowl a lot, and my Twoleg sometimes gets up to shout at them."

Tinyclaw felt his heart pounding in his ears. "Have you seen a really dark tabby around? Or a pale she-cat with fur that's almost blue?"

Fiona seemed to think – but quickly she answered, "No." She added, "I've only heard them, not seen them. I don't go out at night very often."

"Has Rusty seen anything?" Tinyclaw wondered.

"You'd have to ask him," Fiona replied. She glanced at Cloudpaw, then looked back to Tinyclaw. "I worry about him, getting into fights with those nasty cats all the time."

Tinyclaw stiffened. His half-brother Rusty had never been popular with every cat; but if Rusty encountered these cats, Tinyclaw had a feeling Fiona would have known.

"If you do see them," Tinyclaw offered, "stay away from them. They're bad news."

Fiona swallowed, looking as if she wanted to ask more – but she knew better. Fear flashed in her eyes, encouraging Tinyclaw to change the subject. He asked Cloudpaw to talk about her apprentice ceremony, and her life as a Clan cat so far. The fear fled Fiona's eyes, and she listening intently until the sun was high in the sky.

When sunhigh had passed, Tinyclaw had to take his leave. He ushered Cloudpaw away, but not before she asked if Fiona wanted to come with them. "I'd catch you mice," she said, "and I'll clean your nest every day!"

Fiona purred. She meowed, "Oh, Cloudpaw… that life is yours, not mine." She smiled wryly. "I'm much happier here, where I don't have to worry about anything else but you two. You'll have to come and see me again soon – I'll try to get your father to come, too."

Cloudpaw's eyes brightened. "R-Really?" she breathed. "Tinyclaw's told me a lot about him!"

Fiona nodded. "Be good for Tinyclaw and we'll see," she offered.

Tinyclaw smiled at that. He hadn't seen Rusty for some time, and he wondered how his brother was doing. But time was ticking by, and Tinyclaw urged Cloudpaw up and over the fence. He turned to Fiona before she left, his jaws open – but she interrupted him.

"I'll let you know if I see anything," she promised. Her eyes were hardened with determination, not fear. "Now go, before you're missed."

* * *

Tinyclaw spent the way back to camp hunting with Cloudpaw. By the time they'd reached the ravine, sundown was casting red light upon the forest, shining through the budding trees.

Cloudpaw was carrying a shrew, which she seemed more than proud of. Tinyclaw was glad it was stuffing her mouth – all the way back, she couldn't seem to stop talking about everything. Fiona, Rusty, the forest, hunting… Tinyclaw was honestly surprised she'd managed to catch the shrew instead of scare it off.

 _Yet she's brave, and smart,_ Tinyclaw thought, glancing at her. _She'll make a good warrior, if she just learns to be a little more humble._

As they slipped down the ravine, heading for camp, a strange scent crossed Tinyclaw's nostrils. He stopped Cloudpaw, raising his head to breathe it deeper. Cloudpaw dropped the shrew to sniff, too; and she managed to identify the smell quicker than Tinyclaw.

"RiverClan!" she hissed. Her hackles bristled. "You showed me them earlier!"

"Very good," Tinyclaw praised tersely. He swung his head around. The smell was close by, but not strong enough for a large party of cats. He looked up the ravine and spotted them – three cats picking their way carefully through the forest. Tinyclaw recognized a pair of broad shoulders and frowned.

He nudged Cloudpaw. "Go warn Tigerstar we have visitors," he meowed, "but don't get the camp in a flurry. I don't think they're here to fight."

Cloudpaw opened her mouth to protest, but she filled it with the shrew soon enough. She trotted through the thorn tunnel, tail bushing out, while Tinyclaw planted his paws at the bottom of the ravine. The RiverClan patrol picked their way down and as they did, Tinyclaw identified them: Leopardfur, Tawnypelt, and Brambleclaw.

"RiverClan!" he called as they tackled the ravine. "This is ThunderClan territory – what is it you want?" He did his best not to sound hostile – he didn't want any more undue trouble with RiverClan.

Leopardfur stopped before him, Tawnypelt and Brambleclaw just behind. She eyed him evenly, though there was impatience in her eyes. "We come in peace," she offered. "Crookedstar has sent us to speak with your leader."


	28. Chapter 26

**Chapter 26**

 _Tinyclaw's stomach clenched in anxiety_ as he led the RiverClan cats down the ravine and towards the thorn tunnel. Cats of different Clans rarely met in this sort of way – Tinyclaw could only imagine what this meeting was going to be about.

The Clan, alerted by Cloudpaw, was prepared for the stranger's arrival. Tinyclaw glanced back, noting with admiration that Leopardfur and her companions seemed to ignore the hostile, suspicious looks thrown their way by ThunderClan. Some cat muttered something about Graystripe, making Tawnypelt's ear twitch – but that was the only reaction the RiverClan cats gave.

Tinyclaw swallowed when he reached Tigerstar. His leader was settled beneath the Highrock, his tail curled over his paws. Bluefur sat to one side, and Yellowfang was at the other. Tinyclaw flicked his ear – if Bluefur and Yellowfang were here, then that meant that Tigerstar, too, knew what this meeting was about.

In the distance, Cloudpaw was heading for the elder's den with her fresh-kill. Tinyclaw guessed by her lowered tail that Tigerstar had sent her away only a moment ago. Tinyclaw stopped before Tigerstar, stepping to the side to allow the RiverClan cats room to speak.

Leopardfur stepped forward. "We have come to your camp in peace," she declared. It did not settle ThunderClan's warriors, but Leopardfur went on regardless: "There is something we must discuss."

The ripple of muttering that went through the crowd betrayed the fact that every cat in the Clan knew what RiverClan was here for, and none were too happy about it. Graystripe was almost pushed through the crowd to the front, getting glares and spits from those who didn't want him anywhere near. Graystripe settled near Tinyclaw, who laid his tail along his friend's flank protectively.

"I know why you're here," Tigerstar rumbled, "but what's done is done. Graystripe's punishment will be taken care of by his own Clan."

"We're here for Silverstream," Tawnypelt spoke up. "We want to make sure she's safe, and we want to take her and the kits home."

Tigerstar's eyes flashed at his daughter's voice. He stared at her, then looked fixedly at Brambleclaw, who stood almost as his double beside Leopardfur. Tinyclaw feared for a moment that Tigerstar would get lost in them - then, Tigerstar seemed to pull himself together.

"Silverstream was greatly hurt by the kitting," he meowed. "Yellowfang has been taking care of her."

The RiverClan eyes slid to Yellowfang. The crotchety she-cat grunted, "Silverstream is alive, but she can barely move outside the medicine cat's den, let alone the camp. There's no way she's going anywhere, for now."

"How long until she can cross the river?" Leopardfur wondered. The dappled she-cat regarded Yellowfang with a hazy respect. Tinyclaw sensed that even she wasn't so arrogant that a medicine cat's words meant nothing to her.

"Not long," Yellowfang admitted. "She gets stronger every moment, but rest is what she needs most of all. I give her until tomorrow… or the next day, at least."

Leopardfur grunted. She wasn't satisfied, but she seemed to accept it. Tawnypelt let out a sigh of relief, and Brambleclaw looked rather ambivalent either way.

"The kits?" Brambleclaw wondered, his voice low and deep and very much like Tigerstar's.

"I am nursing them," Bluefur answered coolly. She commanded the RiverClan cat's attention. "My own kits don't need milk anymore, but I have some to spare yet. They are safe and well."

Leopardfur didn't look pleased, but she grunted, "I suppose, then, our tails are tied." She looked back to Tigerstar. "We will return and discuss this when things are more favorable. Good day."

"To you, as well," Tigerstar rumbled. "Give Crookedstar my regards."

Leopardfur didn't look too happy about that statement, but she tossed her head and turned away, gathering her warriors around her. Tawnypelt and Brambleclaw followed her out of the camp, watched all the while by ThunderClan cats. Only when they were utterly gone did any cat let out a sigh of relief.

Tinyclaw turned to Tigerstar. Bluefur and Yellowfang were leaving, heads down together in discussion – probably about Bluefur's or the kit's welfare. Tigerstar was alone below the Highrock.

"Are you going to let them take the kits?" Tinyclaw wondered quietly. Graystripe stiffened beside him, but said nothing.

Tigerstar gave Tinyclaw an even look. "Unless I wish to start a war, I haven't much choice," he replied. "Had things turned out differently, we might be able to make a case to keep them – but Silverstream is alive just as much as her kits are, Tinyclaw. Crookedstar will not suffer us holding her. He'll see it as us keeping her hostage."

Tinyclaw pinned his ears, glancing at Graystripe – but his friend had scampered off to the nursery, as if he didn't want to hear this conversation. He leaned forward to Tigerstar and insisted, "You _know_ you can't let this happen to Graystripe – it will destroy him!"

Tigerstar's eyes flashed. He replied, "I know, Tinyclaw; I know – but please… think for a moment. How many cats will rise up to defend Graystripe, should it come to battle? You, and maybe a pawful of others? In the end we would be fighting and losing blood for someone most of the Clan does not want near them… but unlike with Brokentail, I won't be able to sweep away their anger."

He got to his paws. "Graystripe has as much rights to see the kits as Silverstream, but we can do nothing about it until Silverstream recovers. It's not much time, but I've bought us at least a day."

Tigerstar turned away and padded towards his den. Tinyclaw sat on his haunches and sighed. What would he do if Graystripe lost the kits, lost Silverstream? His friend had already lost the respect of his Clanmates – how could he stand losing all that was important to him as well?

* * *

Graystripe was silent as the stars rose and the Clans' opinions divided – some cats wanted nothing more than to be rid of the half-Clan kits and Silverstream, but others wanted to fight for nothing else but to prove that RiverClan had not won. Through it all Graystripe said nothing, leaving the warrior's den only to see Silverstream or the kits – Tinyclaw brought him fresh-kill, but he suspected that Graystripe was just giving it away. He hadn't eaten since the kitting, and he was looking strained and sick.

"Is there nothing you can do?" Tinyclaw wondered to Yellowfang the next morning. His voice was down, with Silverstream not far. Brackenpaw was tending to her, pushing some herbs towards her to eat. Silverstream seemed to be doing well, standing on all fours and moving about well enough.

Yellowfang only shook her head. "There's no herb for his kind of stubbornness," she rasped. "That fool won't do anything for himself until this is all over, Tinyclaw – we both know that."

Tinyclaw flattened his ears and sighed. She was right – Graystripe was stubborn as stone when he put his mind to it.

Finally, once Brackenpaw was done with Silverstream, he hobbled over to Yellowfang. There were more herbs in his jaws, and he laid them at Yellowfang's paws. "Are these the right ones?" he asked.

"Perfect," Yellowfang rumbled, looking at the leaves. She looked at Brackenpaw and added, "You can't eat before the ceremony, but StarClan won't begrudge an old cat like me a few strengthening herbs to keep me going!"

Tinyclaw's ears twitched. "Herbs?" he echoed. "Ceremony?"

"I'm going to Highstones tonight," Brackenpaw replied, as Yellowfang lapped up the leaves. His eyes shone with excitement. "It's the ceremony for me officially becoming Yellowfang's apprentice! I'll get to see the Moonstone under the half-moon!"

Tinyclaw blinked in admiration. Brackenpaw was a whole world away with his medicine cat duties, but he seemed happy. His eyes held a new wisdom to them, a thoughtfulness that added on to his normal studious self. He had grown quite a bit since he'd been Tinyclaw's first apprentice.

"Remember now," Yellowfang mewed as she finished off her herbs, "you're not allowed to talk about what you see."

"Of course," Brackenpaw agreed.

"I could come with you," Tinyclaw offered, "as far as Fourtrees, anyway." His paws itched to be away from camp, and he had a sinking feeling that this might be the last time he'd see Brackenpaw this way – as his former apprentice. After tonight Brackenpaw would be Yellowfang's apprentice, fully and truly in the eyes of StarClan.

Yellowfang's eyes narrowed. "Fine," she grunted. "But _only_ to Fourtrees. Any further is medicine cat business."

"Of course," Tinyclaw agreed.

Brackenpaw gave Tinyclaw an excited look. Yellowfang gave herself a shake and led the way out of the ferns. Tinyclaw followed, keeping up with Brackenpaw's pace.

Outside, the camp looked like it did almost any other day – the only difference was passing by the guard posted just outside the medicine cat's den – Runningwind, who nodded at the cats as they passed. Tinyclaw thought it unnecessary, since Silverstream couldn't run off – but Tigerstar had done it to ease the fears of the Clan.

A white shape caught his eye – Cloudpaw was washing just outside the apprentice's den, looking bored. The moment she spotted Tinyclaw she was on her paws.

"What's up?" she wondered. "Can I come?"

Tinyclaw frowned, part of him wanting to do this himself – to pass off Brackenpaw to Yellowfang in private. But he knew he couldn't ignore what was in front of him in the present, and when Yellowfang only grunted in agreement Tinyclaw flicked his tail. Cloudpaw joined with them and out the thorn tunnel they went, into the forest.

They scrambled up the ravine carefully, giving Brackenpaw ample time. When Brackenpaw was at the top, Cloudpaw wondered, "So what's all this about?"

"I'm going to Mothermouth, to see the Moonstone," Brackenpaw replied. Their pace was slow and steady through the trees, Brackenpaw being able to keep up nicely. No cat seemed to be upset about it.

Cloudpaw's eyes widened. "Why?" she wondered.

"I'm becoming Yellowfang's official apprentice in the eyes of StarClan!" Brackenpaw explained. There was a skip in his step. "I'm not allowed to talk about the ceremony itself, though," he added when Yellowfang threw him a warning look.

"Oh?" Cloudpaw murmured.

"Every cat knows he'll receive special powers from StarClan tonight," Tinyclaw offered.

"Powers?" Cloudpaw repeated. She narrowed her eyes at Brackenpaw. "What _kind_ of powers?"

Brackenpaw purred in amusement. "Nothing weird, really!" he insisted.

The four cats made their way to Fourtrees with Cloudpaw's persistent chatter to fill the air with noise. Beyond that, birdsong and the chittering of squirrels filled the air, stirring Tinyclaw's stomach. The walk was otherwise uneventful, giving Tinyclaw too much time to think about their current predicaments:

 _RiverClan could start a war with us,_ he thought, _not to mention how angry WindClan and ShadowClan are at us._ His spine stiffened. _We've got every Clan having a reason to hate us! With Bluefur's business tacked on, that puts us in the worst possible position!_ ThunderClan was in grave danger, and every cat seemed to be doing their best to put it out of their minds for now.

Despite his worrying, they reached Fourtrees without incident. Tinyclaw stayed back as the others passed through the bushes – and Brackenpaw hung back, looking at Tinyclaw quizzically. "What's wrong?" he wondered.

"Nothing," Tinyclaw insisted. He stepped forward and asked, "Is this what you really want, Brackenpaw?"

Brackenpaw's eyes set. He meowed, "Of course, Tinyclaw – this is what StarClan wants me to do, and I'm happy to do as they ask. I'm going to learn as much as I can, so that no cat suffers in ThunderClan… or any Clan."

Tinyclaw's heart beat at such a lofty goal. This cat, one who would have made an amazing warrior, was on his way to becoming one of the greatest medicine cats of his time. Tinyclaw purred, "You couldn't have a better teacher."

Brackenpaw purred. He pressed his muzzle against Tinyclaw's, and meowed, "You were always my first mentor, Tinyclaw; I'll never forget that."

Tinyclaw purred, and the two sat still for a moment. Then, Tinyclaw licked Brackenpaw between the ears. "Good bye," he breathed.

Brackenpaw's eyes flashed. "I won't be going away forever," he insisted. "You'll see – I'll be back tomorrow."

"I… I know," Tinyclaw mumbled. He didn't want to say what they both knew – yes, Brackenpaw would be coming back, but he wouldn't be the same. There would be a new light in his eyes, a new purpose. Voices would ring in his mind and when blood spilled he would be there to clean it up. StarClan would place their paws on his heart, guiding him and telling him what he needed to do – and such a responsibility was nothing like what a warrior knew.

Side by side Tinyclaw and Brackenpaw padded through the bushes and into Fourtrees. They crossed the clearing until they reached Yellowfang and Cloudpaw, who sat at the edge of the neutral border. The land rose up here to form the moorlands where WindClan lived, and Cloudpaw looked anxious.

"Won't you be attacked?" she wondered, her tail fluffed.

"No Clan would dare attack a medicine cat," Yellowfang hissed. "StarClan give us permission to go where we're needed."

Cloudpaw swallowed, still looking nervous. Yellowfang turned to Brackenpaw. "Ready?" she wondered.

Brackenpaw gave Tinyclaw one last glance, then turned to look at Yellowfang. "Yes," he meowed, "let's go."

Tinyclaw and Cloudpaw watched as they walked away, up the slope and into the moors. His heart was clenched as all his memories with Brackenpaw swam before his eyes, from the moment of apprenticeship to now. He swallowed his regrets, knowing that his life now was what he wanted – yet Tinyclaw couldn't help but wish that the life he could have had was what he was living now.

 _Good bye, Brackenpaw._

* * *

"So, Bluefur wants me to take Cloudpaw on a solo hunting mission," Tinyclaw meowed to Graystripe. The sun was climbing the sky behind the treeline, a fine mist just gently covering the forest floor.

Graystripe looked up at Tinyclaw quizzically. "That's a little early, isn't it?" he wondered. "She's barely been made an apprentice."

Tinyclaw nodded. "I know," he agreed. "But orders are orders, and Bluefur seems to think she's ready. I'll be following her to see how she does – do you want to come?"

What little hope Tinyclaw had died when Graystripe shook his head. "I'm going to be helping Silverstream see the kits. Their eyes are opened now," he meowed with a touch of pride. "Brackenfur and Yellowfang are still tired from last night, so they want me to keep an eye on her."

It was the night after the medicine cats had made their way back to camp from their ceremony. Brackenfur had been tired, but not too tired as to announce his medicine cat name, given by Yellowfang at the Moonstone. Tinyclaw wished he could have gotten to see it, but he'd promised they'd celebrate when Brackenfur was more rested.

His face, though tired, had been full of rapture, and his eyes seemed to glimmer with stars. The Brackenpaw that had left had not come back, not fully – Brackenfur he was now, ThunderClan's medicine cat apprentice. His new life had truly begun, and his journey was on a path Tinyclaw could never follow.

Tinyclaw finished up his shrew, while Graystripe poked at his magpie. He still hadn't eaten, it seemed, and Tinyclaw wondered if Graystripe would just be giving it to Silverstream or Bluefur. Deciding not to fight it, Tinyclaw swallowed his last portion and bid his friend farewell, promising to see him later.

Cloudpaw was waiting for Tinyclaw outside the apprentice's den. The young she-cat had sense not to blurt her excitement, but the questions didn't seem to stop until they were at the training hollow and Tinyclaw had to stuff his tail into her jaws.

 _Bluefur had sent out a lot of patrols today,_ he thought as he removed his tail. Sandstorm to Snakerocks, Whitestorm along the WindClan boundary, Oakheart on the ShadowClan border… _She didn't tell me where to take Cloudpaw, but she sure emptied out the camp!_

Something about that thought made his tail bristle, but he hid it from Cloudpaw. "You can head for Twolegplace," he decided. "That won't put you in the way of any patrols. We can see Fiona when we're done – but only if you've caught a good amount of prey, got it?"

Cloudpaw's eyes widened at the thought of seeing her mother. "Yes!" she breathed. "Of course!"

"Then go," Tinyclaw ordered. "We'll meet at Fiona's fence by sunhigh."

Cloudpaw shot off. Tinyclaw frowned, hoping she wouldn't have such a rocketing pace throughout the assessment. He waited a while, until the last of the morning mist cleared, then got up to follow her.

To his pleasure, Cloudpaw was _not_ rocketing through the forest. It wasn't long until Tinyclaw, following her trail, found her first kill – a sparrow, buried beneath a pile of damp earth. Tinyclaw followed her trail into Tallpines and discovered another – a mouse, buried right where the Tallpines began.

Tinyclaw was impressed. He followed her trail more quickly, hoping to catch her in the act – he was halfway to Twolegplace before he spotted Cloudpaw speeding back along her own scent trail, blue eyes wide and cloudy tail fluffed to its ends. She nearly crashed into Tinyclaw.

"What's wrong?" Tinyclaw demanded, smelling her fear-scent.

Cloudpaw breathed, panic in her voice, "I saw Darkstripe!"

Tinyclaw's hear immediately began pounding. "Darkstripe?" he repeated. "Near Twolegplace? Doing what?"

"I… I…" Cloudpaw took a moment to catch her breath, then she meowed, "He was talking to some really nasty looking cats! A _bunch_ of them, Tinyclaw! They all looked mangy and nasty and…"

Tinyclaw narrowed his eyes. "And they were talking to Darkstripe," he finished darkly. Now he could make a guess, he felt, of the cats Darkstripe had been talking to – for Bluefur, it seemed. They had to be Brokentail's rogues, still wandering about without their leader. It could be no other group!

Cloudpaw nodded furiously. Then, she insisted, "I think they're gone!" She bristled. "I think they left!"

Tinyclaw growled, "And Darkstripe with them?" he wondered.

Cloudpaw nodded again.

Tinyclaw flicked his tail. "Stay close," he insisted. Cloudpaw stuck to him like sap as Tinyclaw cut across the Tallpines. He had a rough estimate as to where Darkstripe was leading the rogues, and, knowing Darkstripe, he wouldn't be doing too good of a job of it. It was better to keep Cloudpaw close, though – if he sent her back to camp, it was possible she'd just run right into Darkstripe.

Keeping low the two took it slow through the sparse undergrowth – but sooner rather than later they both heard the tell-tale sounds of cats moving through the pines. A foul smell washed over Tinyclaw, and he signaled for Cloudpaw to hide behind one of the trees. She obeyed, pressing close to its trunk to hide her bright coat.

Meanwhile, Tinyclaw sulked into a patch of brambles, his black pelt more apt to blend into the dark ground. He could see them now – a group of ragged cats, most of which he recognized, being led through Tallpines by Darkstripe. As they passed they gave no indication they saw their watchers – and Tinyclaw counted each rogue.

 _Too many! There are more than just Brokentail's ilk here._ He thought. _Too many for who is left in camp!_ Bluefur seemed to be making her move – but why now?

He didn't have time to think on it – Darkstripe was in the forest now, his small army behind him.

Tinyclaw turned around. To Cloudpaw he growled, "Run!" When she looked at him in confusion, he snapped again: _"Run!"_

They both got to their paws and ran as fast as they could – but even so, Tinyclaw knew that they wouldn't be fast enough. Darkstripe would beat them to camp, and Tinyclaw trembled at the thought of what he might find…


	29. Chapter 27

**Chapter 27**

 _Tinyclaw had been right – he_ and Cloudpaw were too late. Just as they pushed through the last of the trees on the path leading to the camp, the last of the rogues was slinking through the thorn tunnel. Darkstripe had made it first, but still Tinyclaw pushed through the thorn barrier and shouted at the top of his lungs: _"ThunderClan! Enemies! Atta -"_

"ThunderClan! To me!"

Bluefur's voice drowned out Tinyclaw's. She was standing atop the Highrock, coat shining in the sunlight. The rogues were lunging throughout the camp, tearing apart and attacking whatever they could find – but at Bluefur's rallying call, what forces remained in ThunderClan's camp came together to defend their home.

Tinyclaw slipped to the side as Bluefur leaped down from the Highrock, landing atop one of the rogues. For a brief moment, Tinyclaw wondered if things where not as he had thought – that perhaps Darkstripe had separate plans of his own, ones that Bluefur wasn't privy to – but it was destroyed in the next moment when Bluefur sent her enemy away with nothing more than a stern look.

Fury boiled inside Tinyclaw and he almost lunged for her then – but one of the rogues, a dark ginger she-cat, slammed into him before he could. He wrestled with her, trying to tame the fury in his claws, until Cloudpaw dragged her off of him by the tail and chased her away.

"What do we do?" her fur was bristling to its ends, terror showing in the whites of her eyes. "Tinyclaw!"

Tinyclaw got to his paws. Frantically, he thought – the Clan was scattered to all corners of the territory. What patrol was the closest? "Sandstorm!" he breathed. To Cloudpaw, he snapped, "Sandstorm is at Snakerocks. Do you know the way there?"

Cloudpaw hesitated a moment before nodding vigorously.

"Go!" Tinyclaw ordered. "As quick as you can! Get Sandstorm's patrol, and get them to send someone else to the others. We need reinforcements!"

Cloudpaw's tail was bursting, but she turned on her paws and streaked out of camp. Tinyclaw hadn't time to wonder whether or not a rogue would follow her – she would be mincemeat if one did – because an attacker slid their way into his view.

They circled, but impatience flared up in Tinyclaw. _Bluefur and Darkstripe are behind this,_ he thought. _I need to find out before something happens!_

Tinyclaw's opponent moved first, and Tinyclaw slipped out of the way. He ran his sharp claws along his foe's ragged, rumpled pelt with far more force than he ought to – they screeched in pain as blood spilled. They didn't come back for a second attack, and Tinyclaw was free to see what was happening in camp.

The clearing was in chaos. What few warriors left in camp were scrambling to defend important areas, but they were stretched too thin. Graystripe and Speckletail were wrestling with a rogue trying to invade the nursery, but both were outnumbered in an instant. Graystripe fought like all of LionClan, and it took Tinyclaw a moment to recall that Silverstream had gone to the nursery today. The spryest of the elders were helping Runningwind, protecting both the elder's den and the medicine cat's den – but the elders were weakening, and Runningwind was labored.

A shocked yowl rose from the other side of the clearing. Tinyclaw's tail bristled as he watched Brokentail lunge from his nest and fasten his teeth into his guard, Dustpelt. Aiming for the throat, Brokentail was clearly on the side of his rogue comrades.

For a brief moment, it all flashed before his eyes – the evening that Bluefur had been sharing tongues with Brokentail so casually, as if they'd been friends for seasons. _Those monsters_ planned _this!_

Tinyclaw surged across the clearing, fury and rage lending him speed. He slammed into Brokentail, wrenching him off of Dustpelt. The tabby warrior gave him a grunt of acknowledgement – there was no time for thanks here.

Faced with two enemies, Brokentail let out a loud, keening wail. Tinyclaw and Dustpelt stepped back, stunned, as Brokentail got to his paws and kinked himself into a strange shape that seemed more than mortal. His eyes, frozen in their sunken pits, seemed to glow with untold fury.

Suddenly, Brokentail disappeared as Dustpelt and Tinyclaw were swept away by two of Brokentail's rogues. One on one, they circled and fought – but Tinyclaw made one misstep, and was caught off guard. Thrown onto his back, Tinyclaw had nothing left but to flail at his attacker as they made for his soft underbelly.

His attacker was yanked back suddenly, and Tinyclaw got to his paws. Together, he and Thornpaw drove the rogue off. Thornpaw was trembling with fear, but the golden brown tom nodded to Tinyclaw before surging off to the elders.

Head spinning, Tinyclaw turned about. Dustpelt had driven off his attack as well, and had gone to assist the nursery. Brokentail was gone, but the battle was raging on. Tinyclaw's eyes strained as he picked out the few ThunderClan warriors, surrounded and bloodied by the rogues – no warrior faced just one foe, but this was their home, and ThunderClan would not go out without a fight.

There! There was Darkstripe, sulking in the shadow of the dirtplace. He was watching with a spark in his yellow eyes and a curl to his whiskers that made bile rise in Tinyclaw's throat. He was one thing, though – where was Bluefur?

Where was Tigerstar?

Tinyclaw's stomach plummeted, and his ears rang as his heart beat thunder into them. Immediately his paws turned to the Highrock. The battle had happened so quickly, so suddenly… it was possible Tigerstar was only just now being made aware of what was happening, thanks to the sounds outside. And with Bluefur gone… there was only one place she would be.

He skidded to a stop next to the lichen-covered entrance to the den. It would do no good to barrel into the den like a fool – Bluefur would catch him and kill him the moment he tried. Tinyclaw dropped into a crouch and strained his ears past the battle-torn sounds. To his relief, Tigerstar's voice found him:

"… out there, Bluefur?" Tigerstar was meowing. His voice was tense. "I hear fighting, and…"

"Ah, that," Bluefur mewed coolly. "Don't worry, Tigerstar. Everything will be fine."

"Are you mad?" Tigerstar snarled. "We need to get out there! Our warriors -"

"The fools will die, and the smart ones will know who saved them," Bluefur finished with a snarl. Tinyclaw could hear the pattering of paws. "You, Tigerstar, are, unfortunately, one of the fools."

Tigerstar demanded, "What is the meaning of this?"

Bluefur chuckled. Tinyclaw's blood went cold. "The meaning?" she sneered. "This is your end, you weak old fool. It's finally time for someone better to lead this Clan!"

There was a great roar, and the pattering of paws. The scent of blood touched the air. Fear was replaced by cold determination in Tinyclaw, and he surged into the den.


	30. Chapter 28

**Chapter 28**

 _Tigerstar and Bluefur were writhing_ in one corner of the den, blood smattering the ground – from the both of them, it seemed. Tigerstar was on his belly, his eyes wide with shock - but he was digging his claws into Bluefur's pelt as best he could while she tore at him from almost every angle.

Tinyclaw stood on no ceremony. He sank his fangs into her haunches and his claws into her hindquarters. With a great growl, he pulled Bluefur off of Tigerstar and spat her onto the ground. Before she could move he placed himself between Tigerstar and Bluefur, every bit of him bristling with anger and hatred.

" _Traitor!"_ Tinyclaw snarled.

Bluefur got to her paws. There was a broad slash across her muzzle, dripping blood onto the sandy floor. Her blue eyes narrowed.

"You knew," Bluefur meowed. "You knew about it all, Tinyclaw, and _this_ is where you choose to stand? I could have given you everything."

"I wanted _nothing_ you had to give," Tinyclaw spat.

Bluefur rolled her shoulders. "Very well," she said coolly.

The tension in the air was thick as thunderclouds, rumbling and ready to break open into a storm. For so long, neither Tinyclaw nor Bluefur seemed to move – and then, like a crack of lighting, she was in the air.

Tinyclaw pushed himself onto his hind legs. If he slid underneath her, Bluefur would sail right into Tigerstar – but this way, she would meet his claws. As she descended, Tinyclaw slashed, sending her off in another direction. Bluefur landed on her paws, but Tinyclaw pounced and landed on her back.

Digging his claws in, Tinyclaw knew he couldn't drag her to the ground, but he could claw at her and claw at her until she screeched in frustration, which was far more satisfying than Tinyclaw figured it ought to have been. Suddenly Tinyclaw was being thrust away, thrown off his perch by Bluefur. Tinyclaw bumbled on his paws, but he landed safely.

"You piece of fox-dung!" Bluefur snarled, her muzzle contorted in fury. _"I_ made you the warrior that you are, and _I_ will unmake you!"

She rushed at him, snarling like a beast, but Tinyclaw danced away. With everything finally out in the open, Tinyclaw felt light, like a feather on the breeze. He slipped away from one, two, three of Bluefur's attacks. Everything was bare now, all the secrets were over and done with – Tigerstar, Bluefur… no one had anywhere to hide. There was only the battle to see who would stand on top.

Tinyclaw stepped into one of Bluefur's attacks, and she bristled in shock as he slammed his paws into her flanks. With all her weight on her front paws, Bluefur had nothing to steady herself – she fell rather ungracefully to the ground.

With a hiss, though, Bluefur's hind legs tangled with Tinyclaw's. They fell together onto the sandy floor, tangled with tooth and claw. Over and over they rolled, each one trying their hardest to sink their fangs into the other's throat – when they weren't doing that, they were clawing one another, as if they both understood that only one would leave this deadlock alive.

Tinyclaw fought defensively, waiting for one moment – just one – where Bluefur would mess up. Yet the longer they rolled and fought, Tinyclaw was convinced that there was no weakness in her. His limbs grew weary, dogged by the blows and the weight of the blue-gray warrior… and it dawned on him just what he needed to do.

He allowed Bluefur to roll them so that she pinned him down. Tinyclaw let out a grunt of shock and distress as his body slammed against the stone floor of the den, and he laid himself still.

That was all it took.

He felt air rush against his face – but before Bluefur's teeth could sink into his throat, Tinyclaw flashed his paws up and caught her head in his claws. With a shocked howl, Tinyclaw pushed her to the side – with all her previous momentum, Bluefur's head slammed against the floor.

She crumpled off of him, stunned but not down. Tinyclaw got to his paws and rolled her onto her belly, knowing he had barely any time. He sank his claws into the soft fur of her underbelly and scored them down, again and again until blood welled up and Bluefur slid out of her stunned state with a screech of horrible pain and Tinyclaw's claws felt like they were going to break.

Blood welled up and spilled onto the floor. It took the feeling of it splashing against his hind paws before Tinyclaw stepped away, stunned with shock.

Bluefur was alive, still. Her blue eyes gleamed hatred at Tinyclaw – but she could not move. Blood pooled beneath her, and she trembled. She would live, but if Tinyclaw had gone on much longer…

"Finish it!" Bluefur spat. "Finish me, you coward!"

Tinyclaw was trembling.

Bluefur's eyes narrowed into slits. She spat mockingly, "I know it's what you want. _Finish me!"_

In a flash, Tinyclaw saw himself lunging forward and ripping out her throat – but that moment rang with Bluefur's mocking, cackling laughter. It rang with the realization that if he killed her, he would undoubtedly become her, as if her spirit would somehow replace his own in the act.

"No," Tinyclaw growled.

"No?" she rasped.

"No," Tinyclaw repeated. He took a strong paw step forward, glaring down at her with his ice-blue eyes. "You may have trained me, made me who I am – but I will never be anything like you."

Bluefur's eyes were judgmental slits. But her head fell back, and she growled curses unheard of by any cat. She tried moving, but nothing came of it. Still, Tinyclaw could sense that the blood was done pooling – she could have her strength back at any moment.

"Tigerstar," he called. "Help hold her down!"

Silently, like a shadow, Tigerstar appeared. The warrior's shoulders were squared as he placed his huge paws on Bluefur's body, holding her down with his far greater weight. Tinyclaw stepped back, his eyes wide at his leader. The great tabby's amber eyes were pale and unfocused, his tail low.

 _This… no,_ Tinyclaw realized. _I should have come sooner. Now everything Tigerstar had ever known is gone, and… and who knows what will happen now?_

"What in StarClan is happening in here?"

Both Tinyclaw and Tigerstar looked up in shock. Graystripe was standing at the very entrance to the den, his eyes wide. The gray warrior was bleeding heavily from wounds all over his body, but the pain seemed to mean nothing compared to the sight within the Highrock.

Quickly, Tinyclaw blurted, "Bluefur attacked Tigerstar – tried to kill him. We were right all along, Graystripe. She was a traitor!"

Graystripe's jaw fell open, but he closed them. Then, he shook his head. He meowed, "The fighting is too much," he meowed. "We can't handle any more. We need help!"

Tinyclaw looked at Tigerstar, but the great tabby warrior was staring off into the distance. Tinyclaw swallowed, his throat dry at the sight. Then, he told Graystripe, "I'm coming." _There's still Darkstripe to handle._

"Graystripe, help Tigerstar hold Bluefur," Tinyclaw told him. Graystripe looked uncertain, but he nodded and padded forward. Graystripe planted his paws onto Bluefur, who said nothing. Her eyes were distant, too – but not quite like Tigerstar's. She was plotting, planning – trying to think of how to turn this upset into something beneficial.

Tinyclaw pushed it out of his head. He didn't need to think of that now. Darkstripe. Darkstripe brought the rogues, and Darkstripe needed to be taken care of before anything else.

He pushed his way into the clearing, feeling full of energy despite fighting with Bluefur just a few moments before. He scanned the battlefield for Darkstripe, but an attacker – dark she-cat from before – tore him away quite literally.

Tinyclaw halfheartedly wrestled with her – despite just trouncing Bluefur moments ago, everything seemed to be moving in slow motion. He pushed the ginger she-cat off of him and snapped at her tail, driving her off. Then he resumed his search.

Despite the amount of rogues in the camp, there were a lot of ThunderClan cats here and there, fighting for every advantage. Patchpelt and Runningwind were facing down one rogue together, while on the other side of camp Dustpelt and the apprentices were driving away two attackers together. Tinyclaw could not see Darkstripe anywhere.

Before Tinyclaw could get into the thick of it to search, a brown streak flew across the battlefield. Tinyclaw's eyes widened, stunned – had Tigerstar somehow gotten his wits together and come out to fight?

No! The way the shape slid into one of the rogues was not a ThunderClan attack. Slowly but surely, Tinyclaw realized that the tabby was Brambleclaw… and all around, RiverClan warriors were sifting into the fray: Tawnypelt, Blackclaw, Leopardfur… the RiverClan warriors were clamoring into the battle through the thorn tunnel – and just behind them was Sandstorm and her patrol, and Cloudpaw!

In an instant the tide turned. The rogues, suddenly faced with an influx of attackers – far more than they'd bargained for – turned tail and fled immediately, scrambling over one another to be the first out of the thorn tunnel. That didn't stop the defenders from giving a few good strikes before the rogues left – but gone was gone, and they were definitely gone.

Suddenly the camp was as it had been before the attack – quiet. The only enemy who remained was Brokentail, crawling about the camp and wailing from hurts and bloodied wounds. Everyone ignored him. Slowly the warriors gathered themselves together, licking their wounds and muttering about the RiverClan warriors, who stood off to the side, just as shocked as the rest of the Clan. Sandstorm's eyes met Tinyclaw's, widened, and suddenly she was before him, covering him in licks and purring.

"Oh, you're safe!" she breathed.

"Thanks to you," Tinyclaw purred back. Her attention was almost enough to make him forget what had just happened. He let himself be doted on, just for a moment – and then he asked, "Did you see Darkstripe anywhere?"

Sandstorm stepped back. She shook her head, "No."

Tinyclaw frowned. He looked over at the gathered cats. Darkstripe wasn't there, either. _Where could that monster be?_ He decided it wasn't worth the time. If Darkstripe showed up, Tinyclaw would deal with him – for now, there was a harder matter.

"Sandstorm," Tinyclaw breathed, "I need you to go into the Highrock and help Graystripe deal with what's inside. Take another warrior with you."

Sandstorm's eyes widened in confusion. "What?" she wondered.

"Please," Tinyclaw mumbled. He pressed his muzzle into her's. "Please, just do it. I… it's too hard to explain right now."

Sandstorm's eyes shone with understanding. She licked his shoulder and pressed against him as she moved away, towards the Highrock. Sandstorm flicked her tail and Cinderpelt joined her. Tinyclaw breathed a sigh of relief as she went. Then, he turned to the RiverClan cats. Leopardfur was padding about, sniffing at the ThunderClan cats, though most rebuffed her. When her eyes locked with Tinyclaw's, however, she loped up to him.

"Your warriors say Silverstream is all right," Leopardfur meowed. "That she sheltered in the nursery."

"I'm guessing now that you came because of the kits?" Tinyclaw decided. "We -"

"I know; you gave us your answer," Leopardfur meowed sharply. "But Crookedstar demanded that we bring his daughter back by any means necessary. However…" She looked around the clearing. "We had not expected this."

Tinyclaw waited for her to continue her demands. But Leopardfur went on, "We will retreat, for now. I don't think it's appropriate to make demands of your leader, especially after this."

Grateful, since Tigerstar had plenty enough to deal with already, Tinyclaw breathed, "Thank you. For all of this."

Leopardfur narrowed her eyes. "Of course," she meowed evenly.

The RiverClan deputy turned and summoned her warriors with a flick of her tail. Then, as soon as they had left, they were gone. Tinyclaw breathed a huge sigh of relief and flopped down onto the ground, in the shadow of the Highrock.

All around him the Clan did its best to repair itself. Brackenfur was padding amongst the wounded, distributing herbs and helping with the tougher wounds. Despite his exhaustion from the previous night it was clear he was happy doing what he was doing. Meanwhile Yellowfang was half-pushing, half-dragging Brokentail back to her den, not caring who was watching as she disappeared into the ferns. Mutters rose as warriors returned from their patrols, and the situation was passed down and explained again and again – Whitestorm mentioned that he'd smelled familiar rogues, and guessed that they had been Brokentail's band. The rest of the Clan was simply happy to agree with that.

Almost as if they had been waiting for every cat to be gathered, Sandstorm came out of the Highrock den. Behind her, dragging her paws and yet still somehow keeping herself dignified, was Bluefur. Flanking them was Graystripe, and Cinderpelt. Behind them still was Tigerstar, who leaped onto the Highrock.

There was no need for a summons – the guarded escort of Bluefur was enough, and the Clan huddled together to see what was happening. Tinyclaw huddled with them, his eyes narrowed at Bluefur. Darkstripe was nowhere to be found, nowhere at all – but Bluefur was here, and she was still dangerous.

Brackenfur bounded over to Graystripe, his tail fluffed with worry. Off he went after a quick sniff, off to the medicine cat's den to get herbs. Graystripe flopped down gratefully, knowing that Cinderpelt and Sandstorm had Bluefur guarded well enough.

Up on the Highrock, Tigerstar seemed a worse sight than any wounded warrior. His tail was dragging on the stone, and his eyes were dull. Yet the Clan looked up at him expectantly, as if they didn't notice anything off about him at all.

 _He looks wrung out,_ Tinyclaw thought, a trace of fear in the thought. The great, powerful Tigerstar… was reduced to this. _Even if Bluefur didn't manage to kill him, she still seems to have killed his spirit._

"What is the meaning of this?" demanded Oakheart. "Bluefur is your deputy, and yet here she sits, under guard like some prisoner?"

The Clan clamored behind Oakheart. Brackenfur was limping back now, his ears pinned at the noise. He dropped a pile of herbs off to Bluefur, then went to tend to Graystripe. Bluefur sniffed the herbs, then lapped at them without saying a word.

"Enough," Tigerstar snarled. The Clan quieted at his tone. "Bluefur is a traitor," Tigerstar went on. "Just now, during the battle, she attempted to kill me in my own den. She would have succeeded if Tinyclaw had not interfered."

The Clan was aghast, shrieking with disbelief. "You can't be serious!" claimed Longtail.

Tigerstar growled dryly, "I think I _know_ when a cat tries to murder me."

"But -"

Tinyclaw had had enough. It had gone on long enough, this dancing around the truth. Standing tall, he shouted above the din, "Bluefur is and has always been a traitor to ThunderClan! She is the one who plotted to bring the rogues here today!"

The Clan riled, stepping away from him as if he had greencough. Tinyclaw strode through the crowd to its front, glaring back at it and daring any one to speak out. All stared at him, and none spoke, until Oakheart stepped forward.

"Prove this," Oakheart demanded, his eyes torn between belief and disbelief, and love for his mate. "Prove it!"

 _Oh, Oakheart,_ Tinyclaw thought, sympathy for the warrior stabbing him like a claw. _You really didn't know anything at all…_

"Tinyclaw," Tigerstar breathed, tired of it all. "Tell them. Tell them everything."

Tinyclaw swallowed. He padded around and up the Highrock, until he stood beside Tigerstar. Here he had a clear view of the Clan, seeing all their eyes staring up at him in judgment and confusion. Their deputy, a traitor? A mother to kits, try to murder the Clan leader? How could they ever believe such a thing?

"Cats of ThunderClan," he began. His voice cracked, but he went on: "Do you remember when Redtail died? Bluefur told you it was Swiftclaw who killed him, and that she killed Swiftclaw in revenge; but in reality it was all lies. Swiftclaw died from an accidental rockfall… and Redtail… Redtail was killed by Bluefur!"

The Clan was thrown into chaos. "How do _you_ know?" demanded Longtail. "You weren't there!"

"I spoke with several cats who were," Tinyclaw answered aptly. "Ravenpaw, for one."

Longtail's growl turned into a sneer. He chided, like an adult scolding a kit, "Fat lot of good that does you – Ravenpaw is _dead_ , remember?"

Tinyclaw shook his head. "No, he's not."

The entire Clan was frozen silent. Tinyclaw took a deep breath. _I am sorry, Ravenpaw – I can't tell the whole truth without revealing you._ But for the truth, it had to be worth it: "Ravenpaw witnessed Bluefur murdering Redtail, and for that Bluefur attempted to turn the entire Clan against him. He had to be taken away, to someplace safe, before he was murdered himself."

The Clan was a turmoil, a storm of questions – half of which Tinyclaw couldn't even decipher. Through the clamor Tinyclaw glanced down at Bluefur. The herbs were taking effect, and she was regaining her strength – but if she cared about Ravenpaw being alive, she didn't show it one bit. Finally, Whitestorm cried out: _"Enough!_ Let Tinyclaw speak!"

All was silent.

Tinyclaw swallowed. He went on: "Ravenpaw told me of how Swiftclaw truly died. How rocks had fallen on him, and Redtail only just made it out in time. Redtail ran right into Bluefur, who killed him."

Before any cat could deny this, Graystripe spoke up: "I was there, too," he said. "I heard what Ravenpaw said."

That seemed to shut any naysayers up. Tinyclaw meowed, "I spoke with cats from RiverClan as well, and they tell the same story – that Swiftclaw died in a rockfall."

He had expected some noise – something – from that statement, but nothing came. The Clan was stunned into silence, staring up and him expectantly, with fear in all their eyes.

"Bluefur had expected to be made deputy then," Tinyclaw went on, his voice growing stronger, "but Tigerstar appointed Lionheart instead. Lionheart died fighting, and finally Bluefur achieved her ambition – but she wanted more. She had always wanted more." He swallowed. "She… laid a trap for Tigerstar, beside the Thunderpath. Brackenfur and Cinderpelt were caught in it instead, and Brackenfur's leg was injured as a result."

Brackenfur's jaws were open, as gasp of shock and surprise. Cinderpelt trembled beside Bluefur, down below, but didn't move an inch otherwise, as if her resolve to guard her prisoner was even more strengthened. The Clan, again, was perilously silent.

Beside him, Tigerstar meowed, "Tinyclaw told me of his suspicions… not once, but several times." He breathed heavily, "I didn't believe him. How could I, when Bluefur had us all so fooled?"

"But how?" Mousefur wondered, a voice in the crowd. "How could she be leader if she killed you to get there? We would never allow it!"

"That's why Bluefur planned this attack the way she did," Tinyclaw meowed firmly. "She planned with Brokentail behind everyone's back, and even used Darkstripe to gather up the rogues so no suspicion would fall upon her. If she killed Tigerstar while the battle was going on, all the chaos would let her say that an outlaw had killed Tigerstar, despite the blood on her paws. Who would suspect her, after all – loyal deputy, warrior, and a noble mother – to law a claw on her own leader?"

He trembled with exhaustion. Getting it all out had been like fighting ten battles at once, and now it was all there, laid bare for everyone. Bluefur was unaffected, still sporting her steely demeanor – but the Clan was staring up, stunned and shocked. No face was calm or collected.

"What now?" Whitestorm wondered. The white warrior stood beside Oakheart, who was huddled in a ball of what seemed to be torment. "What will happen to Bluefur, Tigerstar?"

"Kill her!"

"Blind her!"

"Drive her from the forest!"

Oakheart seemed to flinch at every cry. The Clan shouted for his mate's blood all around him, and he was silent. Tinyclaw looked down at him in sympathy – he had known none of this, nor would he have condoned it. _He's blaming himself,_ Tinyclaw realized. _Thinking that, of any cat,_ he _ought to have seen some sign, somewhere…_

Tigerstar flicked his tail, and silence descended. Finally, Tigerstar meowed, "Bluefur… have you anything to say in your defense?"

The Clan was utterly silent as Bluefur's cackling laughter grew like a bramble amongst them. Her laughter lit up the night, causing every cat to take an uncertain step back from her position, despite their deadly certainty before.

"Defend myself to _you?"_ she laughed. "You, a gutless, clawless excuse for a warrior? Everything you've done – defending other Clans, _helping_ them… letting in all manner of rabble from rogues to _kittypets?_ You are nothing worth fearing."

The Clan was silent, and Tigerstar said nothing.

"You have long forgotten what it meant to be a warrior, Tigerstar," Bluefur went on, "and it was long past time your leadership ended. Your softness has poisoned this Clan, turning it into a gaggle of kittypets and fools. _I_ was going to change it all for the better. Now I have nothing more to say to any of you."

"How many cats would have died for the utopia of a ThunderClan you envisioned?" Tigerstar wondered, his tone sad. Tinyclaw knew he was picturing Sunfall, and the horrible thing that the cat had done to make Tigerstar take leadership in order to spare ThunderClan. "If you've nothing else to say, then I sentence you to exile." His tone was sharp. "You will leave ThunderClan territory and never return – and if you are seen in the forest after the next sunrise, you will be killed."

Bluefur chuckled, "I'd like to see someone _try."_

Tinyclaw stepped forward. "I am perfectly willing to finish what I started," he growled down to her.

" _You,"_ Bluefur snarled, meeting his eyes. Her mouth curled into a sneer. "Keep your eyes open, Tinyclaw. Keep your ears sharp – for I _will_ find you… and I _will_ kill you."

Tinyclaw bunched his muscles – but Tigerstar laid his tail along his flanks, calming him. "No," he decided. "Enough fighting. Leave, Bluefur. Be gone."

Bluefur laughed yet again. She got to her paws and, though she was injured, she seemed to make limping look dignified. As she padded through the crowd, it parted around her like water parting around a stone. Longtail shrank away from her, while Dustpelt openly spat at her paws. Nothing stopped Bluefur – except Oakheart, who had placed himself just before her.

His eyes were dark. "We all trusted you," he growled, his voice almost too low for Tinyclaw to hear. "I _loved_ you."

"What is this?" Bluefur wondered, flicking her tail.

"You were one of the best warriors in the forest," Oakheart went on, "in the Clans, even. You were revered everywhere, spoken of like a legend to kits in other Clans. But you threw it all away, all for something that would have come to you if you'd only had the patience for it."

Bluefur said nothing.

"You threw it all away – home, love, family… all for power. You lied to me, again and again, and to our kits." Oakheart's eyes were slits. "Go, Bluefur. Go and leave and never return, for if you do I swear I will be the first to tear your throat out."

Bluefur said nothing. But she padded around him. She did not stop to look back, not to Oakheart, not to anyone. She limped through the thorn tunnel and, suddenly, as if the whole world seemed to be holding its breath for this moment, she was gone.


	31. Chapter 29

**Wow, this story is almost over. Huh.**

* * *

 **Chapter 29**

 _When the last of Bluefur_ disappeared through the thorn tunnel, Tinyclaw tried to summon up some form of triumph from within – but it didn't come, to his shock. Bluefur had been a great warrior, and she could have been an amazing leader – but she had thrown it all away. Now she was gone, and it seemed like she had taken ThunderClan's hope with her.

All around, below the Highrock, talk began breaking out. Some cats tried to speak to Oakheart, to console him – but the tabby warrior ignored everyone, even his friend Whitestorm, as he padded to the nursery, his head low. "Who will be deputy now?" Runningwind wondered, through the din of voices.

Tinyclaw glanced to Tigerstar – but the Clan leader was no longer beside him. Tigerstar had slipped down the Highrock and was circling down towards his den, silent and somber. Tinyclaw moved his paws nervously. Was that the right choice, to hide when the Clan clearly needed consoling?

"I think _Tinyclaw_ should be deputy!" came Cloudpaw's cheery mew.

Tinyclaw's ears perked up, and he looked down at the cats. Discomfort grew in his pelt as he saw many eyes staring up at him, thanks to Cloudpaw's announcement. Tinyclaw quickly padded down the rock, trying to hide the bristle in his tail. _I don't want to be deputy because of this,_ he thought. _It seems so wrong…_

"A kittypet?" Longtail questioned.

"Why not?" Cloudpaw countered. _"He_ figured all this out – not you!"

Longtail bristled and he and Cloudpaw came muzzle-to-muzzle, growling.

Tinyclaw opened his mouth, but Whitestorm was faster. "Enough," Whitestorm growled. "We've more important matters to handle." Longtail and Cloudpaw stepped away from one another, but still glared. Tinyclaw wished Cloudpaw could shut her mouth for once. To the masses, Whitestorm asked, "Where is Darkstripe?"

Tinyclaw swallowed as the Clan mumbled in confusion. In all the events that had transpired, no cat had noticed that Darkstripe was gone. Tinyclaw meowed, "I'm afraid that Darkstripe was always on Bluefur's side."

The Clan looked at him, and Tinyclaw was shocked to see that no cat seemed surprised. Tinyclaw went on, "Darkstripe did a lot of Bluefur's outside plotting while she was in the nursery, and he was the one who went and got the rogues."

"Dirty piece of -" Mosuefur began, but Runningwind cut her off: "Are you sure, Tinyclaw?"

Tinyclaw nodded grimly. Cloudpaw blinked, and then added, "I saw him, too! I saw him bringing those rogues here, while I was hunting for my assessment."

A ripple of assent flowed through the Clan like a gentle breeze on the water. "I'm not surprised," muttered Dustpelt. "He was _always_ licking her tail…" Others grumbled in agreement, and most simply stated that it was good riddance to Darkstripe. Tinyclaw had to admit that he agreed – if he ever saw Darkstripe again, it would be too soon.

The Clan broke apart, sticking to the clearing but muttering to themselves. Tinyclaw sat on his haunches – it felt like the first time he'd been able to do it in ages – and sighed. He didn't have to hear their murmuring to know that it was about the future of the Clan – the new deputy, and what they would do if Bluefur came back. Tinyclaw heard his name more often than he would have liked – he would have given anything to shrink to the size of an ant and fall asleep for a thousand moons.

"Well, then," meowed Graystripe. The big warrior limped over to Tinyclaw, Brackenfur following behind. Graystripe settled down. "Would you _want_ to be deputy?"

Tinyclaw swallowed. The thought of being deputy had at one point excited him – but now it felt as if Bluefur had tainted the position forever. She had wanted him to join her, probably to be her deputy if she succeeded in becoming ThunderClan's leader. The thought made him feel ill.

"I… No," he managed. "No. Not at all."

Brackenfur and Graystripe exchanged a glance, but said nothing more. Tinyclaw changed the subject. "How are you doing?" he asked Graystripe. "Your wounds, are they too bad?"

"He'll be fine," Brackenfur answered. "However…" he frowned. "He cut his tongue, and I'm not sure what to do about it. Tinyclaw, could you get Yellowfang?"

Tinyclaw hadn't even noticed the blood trickling from Graystripe's mouth since the warrior's fur was so tightly packed with dried blood. Tinyclaw imagined that a cut tongue might be difficult to treat. He nodded to Brackenfur and got to his paws once more, heading off for the medicine cat's den.

The last he'd seen of her, Yellowfang had been dragging Brokentail away into her den before any cat really noticed he'd been there. Tinyclaw wondered if she was quietly nursing her son back to health as he pushed his way through the ferns – but what he saw made him stop.

Yellowfang was sitting with Brokentail, yes – but the rumpled tabby tom was lying on his side, still as ice. Yellowfang stood over him like a stone sentinel, her eyes unreadable as she stared down at her son. By her paws, almost hidden but Brokentail's bent, fluffy tail, was a packet of herbs.

Finally Brokentail's body gave a jerk, and suddenly he was breathing again. Yellowfang was unperturbed – she bent down and murmured to him gently – _too_ gently, for Yellowfang. Tinyclaw strained his ears:

"… you have lost a life," Yellowfang murmured. Her tone was cool and quiet.

Brokentail struggled for breath for a moment, before spitting, "Why do I still hurt? If I've got another life left, why do my wounds still _hurt?"_

"StarClan healed the wounds that killed you," Yellowfang replied, "but they left alone the ones that were less fatal."

Tinyclaw flinched as Brokentail snapped, "Then _heal_ me, you old bone-bag!"

Yellowfang's voice was dark, dangerous. "Very well," she growled.

She bent down and unraveled the leaf packet. Out spilled bright, bright red berries – and Tinyclaw felt a ripple of cold pass down his spine. Yellowfang rolled the berries carefully, oh so carefully, to Brokentail's lips. "Eat these," she said evenly, "and all your pain will go away."

Tinyclaw swallowed. He _knew_ those berries – he flashed back to a time when Cloudpaw had nearly taken a whole mouthful of them herself. Brackenfur had moved so fast to stop her it was almost as if his injury was nonexistent. _Deathberries,_ Tinyclaw recalled. _She's feeding him deathberries!_

He held his breath as Brokentail leaned forward and took the berries into his mouth. He was chewing before it even occurred to Tinyclaw that he ought to call out, ought to stop this. _No,_ he told himself, holding back. _This is Yellowfang's demon, just as Bluefur is mine. She must stop him._

Yellowfang's face was stone. "You have caused so much pain," she told him as he chewed on his demise. "Everyone around you, you have hurt – even me. You drove me out of my own Clan, my home… but ThunderClan took me in. I was a prisoner, but I earned their trust. Now I am their medicine cat, and I am loyal to ThunderClan. You could have done the same, Brokentail – but now, no cat will ever trust you again."

"Like I care," Brokentail growled, his teeth stained red from the berries. He coughed, "This Clan, the cats in it – their lives mean nothing to me. Especially yours."

"I know," Yellowfang said quietly. "I know you care for nothing but yourself – not even your own kin."

Brokentail chuckled, "Kin? I have no kin!"

"Your kin has been closer to you than you have ever realized, Brokentail," Yellowfang said, her tone cold. "I am your mother."

Brokentail was silent – and then he let out a long, raspy laugh. Tinyclaw imagined the deathberries working deep within as he hissed, "You really _are_ an old bat! Medicine cats don't have kits, and who would ever want to have kits with _you?"_

Yellowfang's tone was unchanged. "I gave you up," she meowed. "Out of all my kits, you were the only one to survive, and I had to give you up. Watching you grow, I was so proud…" Her voice dropped into a dangerous, horrible whisper: "And then I saw what you became, and I knew StarClan had truly punished me. You killed Raggedstar, _your own father,_ and then slaughtered kits from your own Clan and blamed it on _me."_

Her voice was taut and tight and so angry Tinyclaw thought her words were aflame: "I brought you into this world, and it is time that I ended you."

" 'Ended me' ?" Brokentail repeated, his tone barely above a whisper. "What do you mean, you -" He was cut off.

Suddenly Brokentail was writhing on the floor, gasping and begging for breath. Tinyclaw was frozen on the spot, watching through the ferns as Brokentail twisted and contorted on the stone floor of the den, scattering leaves and berries all over. Brokentail was begging to help – begging for Yellowfang to save him – but his voice fell on deaf ears.

"This is your last life, Brokentail," Yellowfang growled. "I know. A medicine cat always knows. And now you will never harm another cat again."

Brokentail's struggling ended with one last curse upon Yellowfang's name, one that was barely heard. He stopped struggling, finally, and lay flat on the stony floor. His jaws were open in a soundless scream, stained red with his demise. Yellowfang stared down at him, and finally she allowed her dark orange eyes to display her sorrow.

"I know you're there, Tinyclaw," Yellowfang said, finally. "What is it you want?"

Tinyclaw stepped out of the ferns, his whole body feeling numb. He dodged around a scattered deathberry, as if just being near it would send him into a writhing fit of death. It took a moment to gather his thoughts.

"B-Brackenfur wondered what to do… about a scratched tongue," Tinyclaw managed, finally.

Yellowfang got to her paws, stiff. "That's a tough one," she meowed. "Tell him to give me a moment; I'll be there soon."

Tinyclaw swallowed.

Yellowfang looked at him. Then, she decided, "You need some sleep, Tinyclaw." When Tinyclaw made no move, Yellowfang added, "Medicine cat's orders."

Tinyclaw swallowed again, but this time he listened. He turned away from Yellowfang, from Brokentail, and padded out of the den. Somehow, someway, Tinyclaw could feel Brokentail's dead-eyed stare boring into his back. Tinyclaw couldn't leave fast enough.

After what he had just seen, Tinyclaw thought he would never be able to sleep again – but the moment he laid his head down on his paws, dreams swept him away like the current of the river. He was standing in a high place, the world down below covered in mist and the world above the blazing lights of Silverpelt, closer to him than they had ever been before.

Beside him stood Redtail, the former deputy's familiar scent comforting Tinyclaw in this strange, unfamiliar place. When Tinyclaw looked to the tortoiseshell tom, Redtail stared back with so much gratitude that Tinyclaw was unsure that it could all exist in a physical form.

"What is all this?" Tinyclaw wondered.

"StarClan is calling you, friend," Redtail told him warmly. "Do not be afraid of what is to come."

Tinyclaw only stared, confused. StarClan, calling him? To what? _For_ what?

Redtail touched his nose to Tinyclaw's. "I will watch over you, my friend. Do not fear," he breathed.

And then suddenly, in a whirl of powerful winds, it was all gone – the stars, the mist, the land, Redtail… all were sucked up into a great vortex. Tinyclaw let out a cry of fear as it pulled at him, too – but with nothing to grip, he could not resist.

* * *

Tinyclaw woke up with a start, fear prickling at his pelt. What had all that meant, that StarClan was calling to him? Had Redtail prophesized his death? The lights all around were dim and dark, and when Tinyclaw noted that he was alone in the warrior's den, he stood up. Every bit of him stung, but he wanted to leave his dream behind.

Everyone was outside, sitting beneath the Highrock. The moon was low in the sky, and all the cats were staring up at the sky, murmuring worriedly to themselves. Tinyclaw detected traces of fear-scent in the air, and his pelt prickled. What was happening?

"There you are," Sandstorm breathed as Tinyclaw approached. She stood by his side and explained, "Moonhigh has come and gone, and Tigerstar hasn't yet appointed the next deputy!"

Shock filled Tinyclaw's limbs. The warrior code stated firmly that deputies had to be appointed before moonhigh – what was keeping Tigerstar? "StarClan will be angry," he murmured.

"We _need_ a deputy," Sandstorm insisted. "Now, more than ever!"

Tinyclaw frowned, trying to find a reason why Tigerstar would break the warrior code. "Considering what's happened today, perhaps Tigerstar is just exhausted?" he offered. He thought of how shaken Tigerstar had been, how out of it he seemed. Perhaps he'd just slept through it all?

Sandstorm's eyes flashed. "Yeah, it was bad," she grunted, "but he can't just curl up and forget about us! He's our _leader!"_

Tinyclaw bit his tongue. She was right – Tigerstar had responsibilities to his Clan, and regardless he needed to do his job. "Has anyone tried speaking with him?" Tinyclaw asked.

Sandstorm nodded. "Whitestorm did," she answered. "But was sent away."

Tinyclaw sighed. _He just lost Bluefur, whom he appointed during a time when he needed someone he could trust. He'd lost Redtail, and Lionheart, all so quickly…_ Tigerstar had relied heavily on Bluefur's judgment and skills, even when she was in the nursery. Losing her to this was far harder on him than it seemed any cat could comprehend.

"He hasn't forgotten about -" Tinyclaw began, but a gasp in the crowd caught his attention.

Tigerstar was padding out of the den, his shoulders hunched and tail low. He had clearly made no effort to clean himself up after the battle, his pelt sticking up in clumps. But he settled himself in front of the Highrock and announced, "Listen and I will appoint the new deputy."

The Clan held its breath, all eyes on Tigerstar. The silence felt like frost in a leaf-bare morning, settling down and freezing down to the bone.

"I say these words before StarClan, that they may hear and approve my choice," Tigerstar went on, tonelessly. "The new deputy will be…" He trailed off, looking down at his paws. The cats around him murmured uneasily, wondering if Tigerstar had suddenly forgotten what to say.

"The new deputy will be Tinyclaw."

The entire Clan froze. Tigerstar, however, got up and padded away without another word. It was only when he was gone that the Clan seemed to react. Tinyclaw himself stared into the distance, stunned.

 _I don't want this,_ he thought frantically. _No, no! I don't want this – I don't want to be_ her!

"Deputy!" Cloudpaw cheered. "I _knew_ it! Tinyclaw is the new deputy!"

Tinyclaw was pushed out of his thoughts. The Clan was full of mixed reactions, but Cloudpaw was bouncing about, her tail fluffed like a cloud. She seemed positively happy – and yet she slammed right into Dustpelt, who looked angry.

"There must be some mistake," the tabby warrior grunted. "A kittypet, our deputy?"

One by one the Clan came up to congratulate him – but for each one that meowed words of good faith, another stepped away to mutter darkly in the shadows. Graystripe and Cinderpelt and Brackenfur's congratulations were among the first, and Sandstorm pressed against his side proudly the entire time – and yet, with each new cat that appeared to congratulate him, Tinyclaw couldn't help but think of how much better they would be at the position in his place.

 _Do not be afraid,_ Redtail had said.

 _How can I not?_ Tinyclaw wondered, trying his best to keep himself from trembling. Uncertainty and fear flooded his mind with images of him failing, of him being driven out of the Clan like Bluefur. No, this was not what he wanted – but it seemed like he was stuck, by some cruel prank. _How can I not be afraid?_


	32. Chapter 30

**Aaaand - here it is! The finale of _Forest of Secrets!_ Thank you all so much for trudging through this with me - it's still a lot of fun and a great test of my skills. I'm not sure when _Rising Storm_ will be ready, but I'm sure it'll be around by at least next month. I've got a lot of work to do on other stories, including BoT, and something else I may or may not do in the meantime. One never knows, with me!**

 **Thank you all again for sticking through, you've been amazing, and enjoy!**

* * *

 **Chapter 30**

" _Well, deputy," Whitestorm wondered. The_ white warrior was standing before him, a beacon in the bleak morning. "What do you want me to do?"

His tone was genuine, not sarcastic. Yet Tinyclaw couldn't help but thinking that the white warrior ought to be angry – _he_ would have made a much better choice, not Tinyclaw. Yet Whitestorm's gaze held no contempt, but respect, and Tinyclaw took a deep breath. Perhaps this would not be so bad, with warriors like him for support.

Tinyclaw glanced around the camp. For a fearful moment, he realized he was wondering what _Bluefur_ would do in a situation like this. The aftermath of a battle, the camp in shambles… What would she have done? "We need food," Tinyclaw decided, shakily.

He pushed his doubts aside. The Clan was already shaken enough – they didn't need _him_ to be fretting. "Cloudpaw, take fresh-kill to the elders," Tinyclaw ordered. "Get the other apprentices to help the queens." With a flash, the apprentice was off.

"Longtail, take some warriors and go on a hunting patrol," Tinyclaw went on. The pale tabby warrior regarded him evenly, before nodding. Dustpelt and Mousefur joined him. "Keep an eye out for Bluefur and Darkstripe, and those rogues. Be careful."

Longtail said nothing, but his gaze held no ounce of respect. Dustpelt was openly hostile, lashing his tail as he followed. Mousefur sighed, but followed Longtail out of the camp. Tinyclaw stared after them – Dustpelt and Longtail had been close to Darkstripe and Bluefur, and working with them from here on out would be torturous at best.

"They need time," Whitestorm offered quietly. "But keep an eye on them all the same."

Tinyclaw recalled when Darkstripe had tried to drown him, and how Longtail had saved him. He offered, "I think they're more loyal to the Clan than they are Bluefur… but you're right. I'll be careful."

Whitestorm nodded.

Tinyclaw looked to him. "Will you lead another hunting patrol?" he asked. "We need to get restocked, and I'm worried…" If the other patrol ran into Bluefur or Darkstripe or the rogues, they would need backup.

Whitestorm nodded. "Of course." He flicked his tail and a few warriors picked themselves up from their mutterings to follow. Whitestorm left the camp… but Graystripe quickly replaced him.

"What do you want me to do?" he asked, his yellow eyes tired.

"Get some rest," Tinyclaw told him. He licked Graystripe around the ear. "Get a piece of fresh-kill for yourself and Silverstream, and go see your kits."

"I'll take this to Tigerstar," Brackenfur decided, catching Tinyclaw's attention. By his paws was a magpie, rolled off of what remained of the fresh-kill pile. "After all this Bluefur nonsense he needs to eat. I'll check on his wounds, too, and then get some food for Yellowfang."

Tinyclaw wondered if Yellowfang even felt like eating. But he meowed, "Thanks. If Yellowfang needs any help with anything, she has her pick of the apprentices."

"All right," Brackenfur meowed. His eyes glimmered at Tinyclaw. "You sure know how to make cats work, Tinyclaw." He bent down and took the magpie in his jaws – but with a yelp of shock he dropped it as soon as his tongue touched the feathers.

Tinyclaw rushed over and forced back bile – the magpie's flesh and feathers had fallen away, and inside it was rotted and writhing with maggots. Tinyclaw took a step back.

Brackenfur, however, stared down at the carcass, his amber eyes wide and his spine bristling. After a moment, his eyes flashed to Tinyclaw. "Crow-food amongst the fresh-kill," he murmured.

"It must have been a mistake," Tinyclaw insisted quietly, feeling a tremor of fear pass through him. He knew before he'd even spoke that any cat knew not to bring back such a vile thing. He looked up at Brackenfur and realized that the tom wasn't disgusted, but concerned.

"Is it a sign?" Tinyclaw wondered, quiet.

"I… I think so," Brackenfur stammered. He swallowed. "I… I was going to take this to… oh, StarClan, no…"

"What?" Tinyclaw pleaded.

"I was going to take this to _Tigerstar,"_ Brackenfur hissed, his tail lashing. He swallowed hard and insisted, "I'm not sure… StarClan hasn't said a thing to me since I saw them at the Moonstone, but… this…"

Tinyclaw nodded in agreement, fear in his belly. _This is too coincidental to ignore,_ he finished. _An omen for Tigerstar, possibly – oh, StarClan…_ It didn't take much thought to think of what it meant – that Tigerstar's leadership was rotting away from the inside, slowly, like maggots devouring crow-food. Tinyclaw's legs trembled.

"Bury it," Brackenfur insisted.

Tinyclaw only nodded.

Brackenfur turned back to the fresh-kill pile. "Don't say anything to anyone, Tinyclaw," he insisted. "Not until I figure this out. I'm going to take Tigerstar something better." Hesitantly, he took a mouse in his jaws. He waited, almost to see if it, too, would fall apart in his jaws. When it didn't, Brackenfur took off towards the Highrock.

Tinyclaw stared down at the vile magpie. Using his paws, he began nudging the carcass towards the dirtplace, trying desperately to ignore the horrible implications of it. No cat seemed to have seen the thing, and Tinyclaw couldn't relax even when it was buried at the very back of the dirtplace.

 _Does this really mean that ThunderClan's troubles aren't over? How much more can we take?_

* * *

Sunhigh had come and gone, and the hunting patrols had come back without incident. The Clan was full-fed, and the day seemed to be promisingly warm. Tinyclaw watched the Clan going about their day, sharing tongues, and glanced at the Highrock. Tigerstar hadn't been seen since the deputy ceremony, and Tinyclaw wondered if he ought to talk to him about leading the Clan.

Before he could get to his paws, movement at the camp entrance caught his eye. In stepped Leopardfur, flanked by Brambleclaw, Blackclaw, and Tawnypelt.

Proof of how these cats had fought with ThunderClan was on each of them – Leopardfur bore a wound just healing on her side, while Blackclaw's ear was torn at the tip. Their mission had been to badger Tigerstar about Silverstream and her kits, but Tinyclaw wished that they'd just come to see if ThunderClan had been alright.

Tinyclaw sighed. He got to his paws and met Leopardfur and her entourage in the center of camp. Leopardfur was shocked at his body language, her eyes flashing as Tinyclaw greeted her as an equal, not the deputy of another Clan.

"We are here to speak with your leader," Leopardfur decreed, not missing a beat despite her initial shock.

Tinyclaw hesitated. Now was definitely not the best time to speak with Tigerstar – after everything that had happened yesterday, Tinyclaw knew his leader needed time to recover both mentally and physically. But, he reminded himself that the RiverClan cats had no idea what had happened with Bluefur's treachery. They had only come at the end, and then left just as quickly.

Yet it was not his decision to make, sending them away. He bowed his head and led them to the Highrock. He signaled for them to wait there while he went to fetch Tigerstar.

To his relief, Tigerstar was polishing off a piece of fresh-kill in his nest. He looked tired, still, but it seemed like a small spark of what had been shaken by Bluefur was returning. Tigerstar lifted his head when Tinyclaw entered and meowed, "Ah – there you are. We have much to discuss, you and I, and -"

"I know," Tinyclaw interrupted, "and I'll be happy to talk with you about all this – but right now, RiverClan is here."

Tigerstar swiped his tongue across his jaws. "I see," he rumbled. He got to his paws and shook out his coat, which looked freshly-groomed. "Very well; let us see what we can do with them."

Tinyclaw followed Tigerstar out into the clearing. By now most of the Clan was gathered up in a bunch, glaring at the RiverClan warriors. Graystripe and Silverstream were there, too, to Tinyclaw's shock. Silverstream was chatting with Tawnypelt, rubbing muzzles and purring at her friend.

Tigerstar ignored this and settled before the RiverClan patrol. Tinyclaw sat beside her. Conversations broke off abruptly as Leopardfur dipped her head to Tigerstar and meowed, "We have discussed at length about Silverstream and the kits. Two kits died yesterday, born too early. We have decided it was a sign – since Silverstream cannot nurse the kits herself yet, Greenflower has agreed to take them in until she can. The kits will be well cared for."

Tinyclaw looked to Graystripe, who didn't meet his eyes. Was he just going to sit there and say nothing?

"They are well cared for here," Tinyclaw offered.

Leopardfur ignored him. "Crookedstar has sent us to fetch Silverstream and the kits," she meowed, her tone direct. "Silverstream can walk now, thanks to your help; but Mudfur can take over the rest of her treatment."

"The river has gone down quite a lot as well," Tawnypelt offered. "The Twoleg bridge is intact and safe again, and we can all cross easily there. It would be safe for the kits to come back."

Leopardfur nodded in agreement. "Another sign, we think," she decided.

Tigerstar drew himself up. He was stiff, but outside he seemed like a leader again. "The kits are half-ThunderClan, and this situation is complicated," he rumbled. "Have you spoken with Graystripe and Silverstream about this?"

"We have," Leopardfur replied. "Silverstream is ready to go home."

Tigerstar glanced at Silverstream. "Is this what you want?" he asked. "Your kits will not know their father this way, you know."

Silverstream held her head high. "I know," she meowed. Despite her injury she still sounded just as proud as she had before.

Tinyclaw looked pleadingly at Graystripe. "Graystripe," he insisted, "you can't let this happen! These are your kits, too!"

Graystripe shook his head. "It's for the best," he meowed gravely. "I don't want wars fought because of me, Tinyclaw. The kits belong with their mother, and they'll at least have her." He looked up at Tinyclaw, his eyes flashing. "They'll know me, in the end. In some way."

Tinyclaw's heart plummeted. Was Graystripe just going to give up like this? Silverstream could just as easily stay here, with the kits! He looked to Tigerstar, who was nodding along quietly. Was Tigerstar not going to fight for Graystripe's right to see his kits?

Yet Tigerstar cautioned, "Graystripe… you know you may have to fight your kits one day?" His gaze slid over to Brambleclaw and Tawnypelt, both of whom didn't seem to notice. Tinyclaw froze – how many times had Tigerstar nearly killed his own kits in battle, and not even known it? "They will grow up loyal to another Clan, and to see them – or Silverstream - outside of a Gathering would break the warrior code."

Graystripe nodded. "I know," he meowed. "But enough cats have suffered for my mistakes, Tigerstar. I don't want any more suffering on my paws."

Tinyclaw was stiff. Graystripe was giving up Silverstream, too – did he not realize that? The cat that he loved more than life itself, the mother of his kits… gone! Forever! He'd never be able to go near the RiverClan border without some cat's eyes on him, and even at a Gathering he'd never be able to get close to them.

 _Does he realize what he's doing?_ Tinyclaw wondered. _What he's giving up?_

"Very well," Tigerstar meowed, bursting through Tinyclaw's inner turmoil. "Graystripe and Silverstream will bring the kits to you at sundown, at the Twoleg bridge."

Leopardfur frowned, but she assented, "I hold you to that."

She turned, and the dappled she-cat left, her patrol following behind. The Clan once again broke apart into mutterings, watching as Graystripe and Silverstream headed for the nursery. Tinyclaw watched them desperately, wondering what he could say – yet nothing came.

* * *

The sun slid down behind the trees. Tinyclaw waited beside the entrance, head full of thoughts of his friend – of the things he could say, or do, to make him feel better. There was no way Tinyclaw was letting Graystripe do this on his own, however – even with Silverstream by his side, Tinyclaw wanted to be there for his friend.

Almost as if his thoughts had summoned him, Graystripe appeared from the nursery. Behind him trailed Silverstream, walking slow and careful so as to not hurt herself further. Graystripe carried his daughter in his jaws, while his son stumbled ahead on shaky, not-all-there paws.

"Graystripe," Tinyclaw began – but Graystripe set down his daughter and interrupted him.

"You'll understand soon, Tinyclaw," Graystripe said quietly. "Will you take one of them? Silverstream can barely lift a mouse, let alone a kit."

Tinyclaw nodded. He picked up Graystripe's son, while Graystripe held his daughter so gently between his jaws. Together, they padded out of camp.

They walked together through the forest as the sun sank in red fire behind them. Silverstream kept them at a slow pace, walking between them so she was never far from her wriggling little kits. Each one cried and protested, as if they wanted to walk on their own paws – yet the group carried on in silence.

As the river – and the bridge – came into view through the trees, Tinyclaw longed to pin Graystripe to the earth and tell him that he didn't have to do this – that Silverstream could stay in ThunderClan, and that they'd fight for the kits. But Graystripe said he had a plan, and that thought festered in Tinyclaw's mind. What could he mean by that?

They stepped into the open. The Twoleg bridge stretched out before them, an unnatural placing of wooden pieces that lay suspended over the river. It was small, but sturdy enough to hold several Twolegs as they leaned over and threw stones into the waters below during greenleaf. Cats didn't often use it, but it was a safe crossing when the river was too high.

Tinyclaw and Graystripe set the kits down, and Silverstream settled near them, wrapping her tail around them and licking each one to quiet them. Graystripe brushed against Tinyclaw, and the two toms padded away a few paces.

"You're right, Tinyclaw," Graystripe meowed idly. He was looking out at the river. "I can't leave my kits, or Silverstream."

Tinyclaw's heart beat in his ears.

"That's why I'm going with them."

Tinyclaw's heart shattered.

"You _can't!"_ he exclaimed. "Graystirpe, you… you…"

Graystripe sighed. "I know," he meowed. "But ThunderClan doesn't want me, not after what I did, and I… I'm not even sure if I _want_ their forgiveness, Tinyclaw. I don't want to be around cats who will hate me forever just because I fell in love."

Tinyclaw struggled for something to say, but his mouth was dry.

"I know _you_ want me around," Graystripe went on, "and Cinderpelt, and maybe a few others, but… it's not enough. I would do anything for you, Tinyclaw, but staying in ThunderClan just isn't something I can do."

Graystripe looked down at his paws. "I never knew my father," he meowed quietly. "I grew up wondering, wishing, _imagining_ who he was, who he could be. My mother never told me. But one day… one day Darkstripe told me."

He took a deep breath. "Darkstripe is my half-brother, you know. Willowpelt was our mother." He swallowed. "But Darkstripe was so angry that the Clan liked me and ignored him, that he told me who my father was… and I was ashamed."

Tinyclaw frowned. For a moment he wondered if he ought to ask – but he knew better. Graystripe would not tell him such a thing.

"I felt so horrible about myself, even though every cat around me loved me and helped me through it all, I wished I'd never found out. And then you came, and oh Tinyclaw, no cat could ask for a better friend than you."

Graystripe looked at Tinyclaw, his eyes full of love. "When Silverstream told me she was going to have kits I vowed to be by their side, always. I _want_ my kits to know who their father is, Tinyclaw. I don't want them to grow up like me, thinking that I'm a horrible cat because of what my parents did.

"Do you understand, Tinyclaw?" Graystripe wondered. "Do you understand why I cannot stay?"

Tinyclaw swallowed. Inside he screamed in sorrow – Graystripe had been his first friend in the Clans, and there was so much he owed the stocky warrior. They had done so much, discovered so much, together, and now…

Now it was all coming to an end.

"Yes," he meowed.

There was nothing he could say to convince Graystripe otherwise – the Clan still mistrusted him, and they would never truly accept the kits. Or Silverstream. All their lives they would hear whispers behind their backs, and Tinyclaw did not want that for his friend's kits, either. It was possible that the Clan would fight – but it would be for the Clan's honor, not for their love of Graystripe, or the kits. Lives might be lost for nothing, in the end.

Silverstream approached, the kits squealing after her and stumbling on their unsteady paws. She gave Tinyclaw a look of sorrow, as if she could never truly apologize for taking Graystripe away. She murmured, "It is time."

Tinyclaw swallowed. At the other end of the bridge was Tawnypelt, Silverstream's friend. The broad-shouldered she-cat had just appeared – or had she always been there? The sun had sank, and the sky had grown dark. Stars winked from the black.

Graystripe nodded. To Tinyclaw, he meowed, "I'll see you at the Gathering."

"It won't be the same," Tinyclaw managed, staring at his friend.

"It won't ever be the same," Graystripe murmured back.

Graystripe brushed his muzzle against Tinyclaw's. Tinyclaw relished the contact – the last time he and his friend could be affectionate without drawing suspicion. Then, Graystripe pulled away. Tawnypelt had crossed the bridge, and she and Silverstream touched noses before Tawnypelt picked up one of the kits. Graystripe took the other, and together the cats set off across the bridge, into RiverClan territory.

Tinyclaw stared after them. He stared, and stared, until the moon had risen high in the sky. Sorrow kept him from moving, from even blinking, as time stretched on into eternity. _No more patrols,_ he thought, even as Graystripe was long gone. _No more hunting, no more training apprentices together, or chatting over fresh-kill with Sandstorm and Runningwind._

 _It will never be the same._

It was moonhigh when Tinyclaw moved, and he headed back into the forest. Sadness and loneliness greater than anything he had ever known pierced him. First Ravenpaw, now Graystripe – and now he was alone in the Clans, truly alone. He had other friends, but none had been as close as those two.

 _But I have Sandstorm,_ he told himself. His stride increased. _And Cloudpaw. And Whitestorm, and Tigerstar, and Runningwind and all the others who have their faith in me. I stopped Bluefur before she destroyed the Clan._ I _did. I did it, and I'm deputy now, and they're all counting on me to make things right._

With every thought Tinyclaw's speed increased, until he was racing through the woods, tail streaming behind him. The small black tom was a shadow against the ground as he leaped over fallen logs and dodged bushes with unerring accuracy. This was his home, _this_ was where he belonged, and not every cat could ever feel that way.

 _I have a whole Clan to look after, and I cannot look back._


End file.
